BANCROFT 
LIBRARY 

o 

THE  LIBRARY 

OF 
THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 


t 


ALTA   CALIFORNIA: 


EMBRACING   NOTICES  OF   THE 


CLIMATE,  SOIL,  AND  AGRICULTURAL  PRODUCTS 


NORTHERN  MEXICO 


THE  PACIFIC  SEABOARD; 


ALSO,   A   HISTORY  OF  THE 


y  aub  Naual  Operations  of  UK  Unitco  States  birecteo  against 
Uje  territories  of  Northern  Jftejdco, 

IN    THE    YEAR    1846— '47. 

! 

WITH 

DOCUMENTS  DECLARATORY  OF  THE  POLICY  OF  THE  PRESENT   ADMINIS 
TRATION  OF  THE    NATIONAL    GOVERNMENT    IN    REGARD 
TO  THE  ANNEXATION  OF  CONQUERED  TERRITORY 
TO  THIS  UNION, 

AKD  THE 

OPINION  OF  THE  HON.  JAMES  BUCHANAN  ON  THE  WILMOT  PROVISO,  Ac. 


BY  A  CAPTAIN  OP  VOLUNTEERS. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
H.   PACKER  &  CO.,   PUBLISHERS. 

SOLD  BY  THK  BOOKSELLERS  GENERALLY. 

1847. 


Fffcy 


HTHOH 


3  a  H  T 


ENTERED  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1847,  by 

H.  PACKER  &  CO., 
in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


H 


PREFACE. 


THE  writer  believes  this  work  to  be  worth  its  price, 
and  a  perusal;  but  he  hopes  that  no  thinking  citizen 
will  take  his  word  for  the  latter  averment — and  that 
all  will  believe  the  first. 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  September,  1847. 


' 

' 




CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Alta  California-—  Its  Extent,  fyc. — Beja  California — Bays  and  Har 
bours  of  Jilta  California — Climate,  Soil,  and  Agricultural  Produc 
tions,  fyc. • 9 

CHAPTER  II. 

TTie  Designs  of  the  Government  at  Washington — Mr.  Secretary  Ban 
croft's  Instructions  to  Captain  Sloat,  in  1845—  Same  in  1846 — Confi 
dential  Communication  of  Mr.  Secretary  Marcy  to  General  Kearny — 
Letter  of  Instruction  addressed  by  Mr.  Bancroft  to  Captain  Sloat,  after 

the  Battles  of  Palo  Jllto  and  Resaca  de  la  Palma,  fyc. 13 

.  •  \.   . 

CHAPTER  III. 

Justification  of  War — The  Motives  of  the  Government  at  Washington 
Reviewed — Report  of  the  Secretary  of  War  in  reference  to  the  Occu 
pation  of  California — Lieut.  Col.  John  C.  Fremont — His  Revolution 
ary  Movements — The  Responsibility  of  the  United  States  Govern 
ment,  4*c. 17 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Report  of  Captain  Sloat — His  Proclamations— California  Volunteers, 
t>*c. 23 

CHAPTER  V. 

Captain  Stockton's  Communication  to,  the  Government  at  Washington — 
His  Proclamation  to  the  People  of  Alta  California — His  Ordinance — 

Government,  8fc. 27 

7 


8  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Mr.  Secretary  Bancroft's  Communication  to  Captain  Sloat,  of  the  l%th 
of  July,  1840— Do.  of  the  YJth  of  August— General  Scott  to  General 
Kearny — Mr.  Secretary  Mason  to  Captain  Stockton — Stevenson's 

Expedition — General  Kearny' s  Operations  in  California,  fyc. 30 

' 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Differences  between  General  Kearny  and  Captain  Stockton — Captain 
Stockton's  Report — Lieut.  Col.  Fremont's  Treaty — Letter  of  late  U.  S. 
Consul — Lieutenant  Talbot's  Letter — Lieut.  Col.  Fremont's  Explana 
tion — Letter  from  Mr.  Secretary  Marcy  to  General  Kearny,  4-c.-»«»  41 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

General  Scott's  Letter  to  Captain  Tompkins-— Stevenson's  Commission 
actually  void — Mr.  Secretary  Marcy  to  J.  D.  Stevenson — A  Glance  at 
Mexico — Its  People  and  its  Government — Her  Future  Prospects  as  a 
Nation — Texas  and  Slavery,  fyc. 49 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Opinion  of  the  Hon.  James  Buchanan  of  the  Wilmot  Proviso — His  Ap 
peal  to  the  Democracy  of  Pennsylvania — The  Question  of  Slavery  in 
California  Reviewed— -36°  30',  or  the  Missouri  Compromise — The 
policy  of  the  South,  and  the  motive  for  a  Slave  Market — Emigrants  to 
California  and  Northern  Mexico. 56 


or 


ALTA  CALIFORNIA. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Alta  California — Its  extent,  Sfc. — Baja  California — Bays  and  harbours  of  Alta  California — 
Climate,  Soil,  and  Agricultural  Productions,  Sfc. 

THE  extent  of  country  embraced  in  the  territory  of  Alta  California^  is 
bounded  north  by  the  42°  of  north  latitude,  and  extends  south  very  near  to 
the  32°  ;  on  the  west  it  is  bounded  by  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  extends  east 
from  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  a  distance  of  near  1000  miles.  Its  area, 
according  to  Mexican  authorities,  is  876,344  square  miles ;  and  its  popula 
tion  is  estimated  at  25,000. 

Baja  California  is  comprised  in  the  peninsula  of  California.  This  has 
an  extent  of  about  800  miles  from  north  to  south,  and  a  breadth  varying 
from  60  to  250  miles,  and  an  estimated  area  of  57,021  square  miles,  and  a 
population  of  13,419. 

The  two  Californias  embrace  a  sea-coast,  on  the  Pacific  and  Gulf  of  Cali 
fornia,  over  2,500  miles  in  extent,  and  include  the  only  good  harbours  of 
Mexico,  and  decidedly  the  best  for  commerce  on  the  Pacific.  San  Fran 
cisco,  Monterey,  Santa  Barbara,  Buenaventura,  San  Gabriel,  and  San  Diego, 
are  safe  harbours,  and  afford  good  anchorage  for  shipping.  These  are  all 
within  Alta  California ;  and  there  are  as  many  equally  advantageous  sea-ports 
in  Baja  California. 

For  soil,  climate,  and  capacity  for  husbandry,  the  territories  of  California 
are  not  inferior  to  any  other  portion  of  America ;  and  let  Sonora  and  Chi 
huahua  be  included,  and,  for  extent  of  country,  it  is  the  best,  for  agricultural 
purposes  and  for  commerce,  of  the  world.  Yet  it  must  not  be  supposed 
that  California  is  without  its  drawbacks,  which  indolent  and  unfortunate 
settlers  will  be  sure  to  notice.  (1)  In  such  an  extent  of  country  as  the 
Californias  embrace,  there  must  necessarily  exist  a  variety  of  soil  as  well  as 
of  climate ;  (2)  and  as,  upon  the  Pacific  coast,  latitude  does  not  determine 
the  climate  nor  govern  the  productions  of  the  soil,  (3)  the  climate,  soil,  and 
productions  of  all  Northern  Mexico  may  be  regarded  as  similar,  subject  only  to 
the  variations  produced  by  difference  of  elevation.  Such  is  the  magnifi 
cence  of  the  countries  which  have  been  seized  by  the  orders  of  the  govern 
ment  at  Washington,  as  a  conquest  of  the  people  of  the  United  States ; 
and  it  is  intimated  that  the  President  claims  to  include  in  the  conquest  not 
only  the  two  Californias  and  New  Mexico,  but  Sonora  and  Chihuahua ; 
which,  with  the  Californias  and  New  Mexico,  embrace  over  one-third  of  the 
entire  territory  of  the  republic  of  Mexico. 


NOTES  TO  CHAPTER  I. 
(1.)  THE  SOIL  AND  PRODUCTIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

BT  A  HESIDEJJT  OF  TWEHTT-TWO  TEARS. 

Having  given  some  information  in  one  of  my  former  letters  of  the  fertility  of  the  soil  in 
most  parts  of  California,  I  have  to  observe  that  whatever  I  have  mentioned  on  this  head  is 
2  0 


10  THE  SOIL  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

the  result  of  twenty-two  years'  experience  that  I  have  had  in  California ;  and  t  feel  my 
self  bound,  as  a  lover  of  truth,  to  warn  all  and  every  person  wishing  to  emigrate  to  this 
country,  to  beware  of  some  pamphlets  that  have  been  published,  both  by  Americans  and 
Mexicans,  within  the  last  three  or  four  years,  concerning  the  extraordinary  fertility  of  the 
soil,  otherwise,  on  their  arriving  here,  they  may  be  disappointed. 

I  was  led  to  mention  this  warning  from  having  a  pamphlet,  now  before  me,  written  by 
Don  Manuel  Castanares,  who  went  to  Mexico  in  the  year  1843,  as  representative  of  Cali 
fornia.  This  gentleman  doe*  not  scruple  to  say,  « the  land  of  California  is  so  surprisingly 
productive,  that  wheat  commonly  yields  crops  of  from  four  hundred  to  six  hundred  for  one 
of  sowing,  and  maize  or  Indian  corn  from  one  thousand  to  twelve  hundred  bushels  for  one 
of  seed,  and  beans  from  five  hundred  to  seven  hundred  for  one  of  seed."  Now,  as  I  should 
be  very  sorry  for  any  family  well  situated  in  life  to  sacrifice  their  property  in  America  for 
the  purpose  of  emigrating  to  California,  under  the  expectation  of  making  an  independent 
fortune  in  one  or  two  years  by  agriculture,  from  having  read  such  a  pamphlet  as  this,  which 
will  no  doubt  find  its  way  to  America  in  a  very  short  time,  if  it  is  not  already  there,  I 
should  wish  this  gentleman,  as  well  as  some  who  have  published  before  him,  had  been  a 
little  more  explicit.  For  instance,  if  he  had  said  he  had  seen  a  grain  of  wheat  yield  one 
thousand  or  two  thousand  fold,  or  a  grain  of  corn  yield  three  thousand  fold,  or  a  bean 
yield  three  hundred  fold, — all  these  I  have  seen  myself;  but  still  it  does  not  follow  that  a 
field  sown  with  either  of  these  different  kinds  of  grain  should  yield  in  the  same  proportion. 
That  the  soil  would  yield,  under  the  hands  of  an  American  agriculturist,  double  the  quan 
tity  of  produce  from  the  same  quantity  of  seed  it  at  present  yields,  I  have  not  the  least 
doubt,  but  still  the  account  given  by  Castanares  is  exaggerated,  at  the  very  least,  cent,  per 
cent 

Not  only  this,  but  all  parts  of  California  are  not  eqtial  in  the  fertility  of  soil.  To  the 
southward  of  San  Luis  Obispo,  the  farmers  consider  they  have  a  good  crop  if  they  gather 
thirty  bushels  for  one  of  seed.  Beans,  corn,  peas,  melons,  pumpkins,  dr-c.,  &c.,  yield  well 
all  over  California.  *  *  * 

The  most  beautiful  part  of  California  is  still  occupied  by  wild  Indians.  There  are  no 
parts  in  the  settlements,  nor  in  the  Sacramento  valley,  equal  to  those  situated  on  the  west 
ern  side  of  the  Snowy  Mountains.  From  the  head  of  the  river  San  Joaquin  down  to  the 
elbow,  or,  as  it  is  called  in  Spanish,  the  junta,  and  on  each  side  of  the  river  Merced  and  the 
river  Reyes,  lies  the  most  valuable -land  in  California. 

From  each  of  these  rivers,  two  of  which  empty  themselves  into  a  lake,  produce  may  be 
brought  into  the  bay  of  San  Francisco  by  going  to  the  expense  of  removing  some  few  im 
pediments,  which  at  present  exist  in  the  San  Joaquin.  The  lake  has  an  outlet  which  is  a 
natural  canal  of  about  one  hundred  miles  long  and  about  one  hundred  miles  wide,  with  a 
constant  depth  of  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  feet.  It  is  uniform  in  all  these  dimensions 
from  one  end  to  the  other,  and  the  current  is  so  trifling  that  it  is  almost  imperceptible.  The 
reason  of  this  is,  that  where  it  enters  the  San  Joaquin,  which  is  at  the  elbow  above  men 
tioned,  the  bed  of  the  river  is  very  high,  consequently  the  water  cannot  run  out  of  the 
canal  so  fast  as  it  runs  into  the  lake  from  three  considerable  rivers,  of  which  it  is  formed  ; 
and  as  the  high  bed  of  the  river  prevents  the  discharge  of  water  from  the  lake  through  the 
canal.  In  the  month  of  May,  June,  July  and  August,  the  level  ground  all  around  the 
lake,  to  the  distance  of  eight  or  ten  miles,  is  all  overflown ;  and  then  the  water  is  good,  as 
the  overflow  is  occasioned  by  the  melting  of  the  snow  in  the  Snowy  Mountains,  but  in  the 
other  months  the  water  of  this  lake  is  very  brackish  and  very  unwholesome. 

On  the  dryer  parts  of  his  immense  plain,  where  the  waters  which  overflow  from  the 
lake  do  not  reach,  the  soil  is  generally  barren,  and  in  some  places,  for  miles  and  miles,  the 
ground  is  so  soft  and  light,  that,  though  perfectly  dry,  a  horse  will  sink  up  to  his  knees 
almost  every  step ;  wherever  this  is  the  case,  the  ground  is  completely  barren,  bearing  nei 
ther  shrub,  bush,  tree,  nor  grass  or  herbs  of  any  kind.  The  whole  of  this  valley  is  pestered 
with  rattlesnakes ;  so  much  so,  that  it  is  dangerous  to  be  down  in  the  camp  on  it  without 
taking  the  precaution  to  search  well  to  see  if  there  are  any  holes ;  and  if  none  are  to  be 
seen,  it  is  necessary  to  drag  some  brush  which  may  be  found  on  many  parts  of  the  plain, 
where  the  ground  is  harder,  and  with  it  make  a  large  circular  fire,  where  a  person  may  lie 
with  more  safety  from  these  deadly  venomous  animals.  I  have  been  travelling  over  this 
plain  in  hot  weather,  and  for  the  space  of  ten  miles  have  seen  rattlesnakes  as  thick  as  we 
commonly  see  ground-squirrels  where  they  are  considered  plentiful. 

This  vast  plain  extends  about  five  hundred  miles,  running  nearly  north  and  south,  and 
may,  on  an  average,  be  about  sixty  miles  wide ;  and  divides  what  is  called  the  Great  Moun- 


THE   VALLEY  OF  THE   GILA.  11 

tain  from  the  lower  range  of  mountains  which  run  up  and  down  the  coast  This  lower 
range  of  mountains  formerly  was  claimed  by  the  missions  in  California,  and  to  prevent  indi 
viduals  from  obtaining  grants  of  land  from  the  government,  about  the  foot  of  them  every 
mission  established  one  or  more  sheep  farms,  and  certainly  the  climate  and  the  pasture  were 
much  adapted  to  this  class  of  animals,  for  they  increase  to  an  incredible  degree.  *  *  * 

There  are  many  persons  wko  have  tremendous  large  tracts  of  beautiful  and  fertile  lands, 
containing  from  three  to  eleven  square  leagues,  and  the  man  who  cultivates  twenty  acres 
•of  it  without  taking  the  trouble  to  fence  it,  is  considered  among  themselves  an  extraordi 
narily  industrious  man,  and,  at  the  same  time,  were  it  not  for  the  Indians,  who  work  about 
the  farms  for  little  or  nothing,  (and  generally  get  cheated  out  of  that,)  there  would  be  no 
land  cultivated  in  California ;  and  I  have  never  seen  in  any  part  of  the  country,  since  the 
missions  have  been  secularized,  a  superabundance  of  provisions,  not  because  the  ground 
will  not  produce,  but  because  the  people  are  so  indolent  and  careless,  that  they  will  not 
take  the  trouble  to  look  after  it.  *  *  * 

Tn  my  last,  I  gave  you  some  account  of  the  manner  in  which  the  settlements  in  Califor 
nia  are,  and  have  been  for  some  time  past,  supplied  with  horses,  and  knowing,  as  I  do  from 
experience,  the  value  of  this  noble  animal,  and  the  usefulness  of  them,  in  this  country  in 
particular,  I  cannot  despatch  this  article  without  giving  you  some  information  of  the  reason 
why  there  is  such  a  particular  necessity  for  a  great  number  of  horses  in  this  country. 

In  the  first  place,  the  whole  territory  is  but  very  thinly  settled ;  the  grants  of  land  which 
have  been  given  by  Mexico  are  very  large,  and  it  is  often  the  case,  that  a  man  who  live* 
on  a  farm  will  have  to  travel  one  or  two  hundred  miles  to  purchase  the  actual  necessitous 
clothing,  or  to  sell  his  produce,  which  has  all,  or  for  the  most  part,  to  be  carried  to  market 
on  horseback,  on  account  of  the  badness  of  the  roads ;  add  to  this,  that  all  travelling  has  to 
be  done  on  horseback,  and  as  no  provender  of  any  kind  is  laid  up  by  farmers  here  for  win 
ter  food,  the  horses,  from  September  forward,  begin  to  lose  their  flesh,  and  by  the  latter 
end  of  November  they  are  scarcely  fit  to  travel  at  all ;  consequently,  as  things  now  stand, 
a  man  who  lives  a  hundred  miles  from  town  will  need  at  least  ten  horses  to  carry  him  the 
journey. 

A  Californian  will  never  ride  a  mare,  unless  he  is  actually  driven  to  the  necessity ;  he 
thinks  it  a  disgrace ;  and  some  years  back,  if  a  Californian  had  arrived  at  any  farm  with  a 
tired  horse,  and  his  friend  or  countryman  had  offered  him  a  fresh  mare,  that  his  own  horse 
might  be  relieved,  and  he  pursue  his  journey,  he  would  have  looked  upon  the  act  as  the 
greatest  affront  that  could  be  put  upon  him,  and  I  have  many  times  known  a  man  to  defer 
his  journey  one  or  two  days  rather  than  ride  a  mare. 

There  were  originally  two  distinct  breeds  of  horses  in  this  country,  but,  for  want  of  care, 
and  curiosity,  they  have  got  so  crossed  and  mixed  up  together,  that  they  are  not  distin 
guishable;  though  I  have  particularly  observed  that  the  best  and  fleetest,  as  well  as  the 
handsomest  horses  in  this  territory,  are  those  which  have  been  caught  wild  after  having 
come  to  their  growth  in  the  Tular  valley.  I  believe  the  reason  of  this  to  be,  those  horses 
which  are  caught  wild  have  not  been  injured  when  very  young,  as  those  are  which  are  bred 
in  the  settlements  and  on  farms;  these  are  greatly  injured  when  young,  by  boys,  who  take 
every  opportunity  of  driving  them  into  pens  to  torment  them  with  their  lassoes,  lashing  their 
legs  to  throw  them,  &c.,  &c.,  and  this  is  the  reason  that  there  are  so  very  few  horses  of  the 
age  of  six  or  seven  years  that  can  be  found  entirely  sound. 

Then  their  method  of  breaking  them  in  likewise  tends  to  break  the  spirit  of  the  animals, 
and  injure  them  in  their  joints.  They  will  take  a  wild  colt  and  put  the  saddle  on  it,  and 
mount  it,  and  ride  it  down ;  and  when  it  is  tired  they  take  the  saddle  off  it,  and  make  it 
fast  to  a  post,  without  any  thing  to  eat,  and  keep  it  there  for  four  or  five  days  on  nothing 
but  water — saddling  it  two  or  three  hours  each  day,  at  the  end  of  which  time  they  let  it  go. 
They  are  generally  two  years  taming  a  horse. 

(2.)  THE  VALLEY  OF  THE  GILA. 

BY    GENERAL    KEARKY. 

This  river,  (the  Gila,)  more  particularly  the  northern  side,  is  bounded  nearly  the  whole 
distance  by  a  range  of  lofty  mountains ;  and,  if  a  tolerable  wagon  road  to  its  mouth  from 
the  Del  Norte  is  ever  discovered,  it  must  be  on  the  south  side.  The  country  is  destitute 
of  timber,  producing  but  few  cotton-wood  and  mosquite  trees ;  and,  though  the  soil  on  the 
bottom  lands  is  generally  good,  yet  we  found  but  very  little  grass  or  vegetation,  in  conse 
quence  of  the  dryness  of  the  climate  and  the  little  rain  which  falls  here.  The  Pimos  In- 


12  PRODUCTIONS  OF  NORTHERN  MEXICO. 

dians,  who  make  good  crops  of  wheat,  corn,  vegetables,  &c.,  irrigate  the  land  by  water  from 
the  Gila,  as  did  the  Aztecs,  (the  former  inhabitants  of  the  country,)  the  remains  of  whose 
sequias,  or  little  canals,  were  seen  by  us,  as  well  as  the  position  of  many  of  their  dwellings, 
and  a  large  quantity  of  broken  pottery  and  earthenware  used  by  them. 

We  crossed  the  Colorado  about  ten  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Gila,  and,  marching 
near  it,  about  thirty  miles  further,  turned  off  and  crossed  the  desert — a  distance  of  about 
sixty  miles — without  water  or  grass. 

(3.)  AGRICULTURAL  PRODUCTIONS  OF  NORTHERN  MEXICO. 

The  chief  agricultural  productions  from  the  Presidio  to  Monclova,  he  says,  are  corn, 
sugar,  and  cotton ;  of  the  latter,  not  much  is  grown,  as  there  are  no  gins  or  factories,  and 
but  little  demand  for  it.  It  grows  finely — the  stalk  being  never  killed  by  the  cold  of  win 
ter.  It  might  be  profitably  cultivated  if  there  was  a  demand  for  it. 

Sugar  grows  finely,  and  only  needs  a  little  care  and  adequate  machinery  to  enable  the 
inhabitants  to  produce  large  quantities  of  it.  It  is  not  grained  as  with  us ;  but,  when  in 
syrup,  is  run  into  moulds  resembling  small  loaves  of  loaf  sugar,  called  pilonces,  weighing 
about  a  pound. 

Corn  grows  well  and  yields  abundantly.  Two  crops  of  it  are  made  in  a  year,  if  the 
occupant  of  the  ground  is  not  too  lazy  to  tend  it.  The  first  is  planted  in  March,  and 
gathered  in  June  and  July.  The  second  is  planted  in  July  or  1st  August,  and  gathered  in 
November  and  December.  When  we  arrived  at  Monclova,  the  1st  of  November,  roasting 
ears  and  green  fodder  were  abundant  for  ourselves  and  horses  from  the  second  crop.  This 
is  the  principal  crop  of  the  year,  as  it  is  less  liable  to  injury  from  the  vicissitudes  of  the 
weather  than  the  first  crop.  The  yield  of  the  corn  is  about  fifty  bushels  to  the  acre  in  a 
tilled  field.  With  good  culture,  the  quantity  would  be  increased  very  considerably.  The 
stalks  grow  to  an  enormous  height.  I  have  seen  them  often  around  Monclova  so  tall,  that 
when  sitting  on  my  horse,  which  is  full  sixteen  hands  high,  I  could  not  reach  the  ears  of 
corn. 

A  well-known  physiological  fact  is  continually  presented  to  notice ;  that  is,  that  latitude 
alone  does  not  govern  the  production.  Wheat  cannot  be  raised  profitably,  or  of  good 
quality,  in  Louisiana.  Yet  here,  in  latitude  25°  and  26°,  several  hundred  miles  further 
south  than  Louisiana,  it  is  grown  to  perfection.  So  are  apples  and  peaches.  This  is 
owing  to  the  elevation  of  the  country  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 

At  Cienegas,  a  village  fifty  miles  west  of  Monclova,  large  quantities  of  excellent  wheat 
are  raised.  There  are  two  flouring  mills  at  Monclova,  propelled  by  the  stream  which  passes 
through  the  town.  The  best  Mexican  flour  is  not  equal  in  appearance  to  the  American 
article.  It  is  generally  sold  without  being  bolted  at  all.  We  used  large  quantities  of  this 
unbolted  flour  in  the  army.  It  makes  a  very  sweet,  palatable,  and  healthy  brown  bread. 
It  is,  however,  hard  to  take  down,  and  the  soldiers  generally  disliked  to  use  it,  as  they  said 
they  did  not  like  to  be  fed  on  so  much  bran  to  so  little  floar. 

The  Mexicans  keep  small  sieves  in  their  houses  to  separate  the  bran  from  the  flour.  It 
then  makes  a  light  bread  ;  and  I  must  say,  I  have  never  eaten  sweeter  or  better  light  bread 
than  is  made  by  the  bakers  in  Monclova  and  Parras. 

Oats  and  rye  are  not  grown  in  Mexico.  Corn  is  not  generally  fed  to  horses.  When 
they  are  fed  with  grain  at  all,  it  is  usually  with  barley,  which  grows  finely  ;  but  little  of  it 
is  raised,  however. 

Nearly  all  descriptions  of  vegetables  grow  finely.  With  most  kinds,  a  person  may 
select  his  own  time  for  planting.  Fresh  peas,  lettuce,  beans,  &c.,  may  be  had  the  year 
round,  by  planting  them  repeatedly.  I  saw  peas  six  inches  in  length  growing  at  Parras 
on  the  16th  December,  which  were  planted  for  a  winter  crop.  As  the  climate  is  so  pro 
pitious,  and  all  plants  have  to  be  reared  by  irrigation,  a  planter  or  gardener  may  select  his 
own  time  for  planting. 

It  might  not  be  profitable  to  plant  corn  in  the  fall;  but  there  is  a  wide  range  from 
February  to  August  to  put  it  into  the  ground,  and  still  have  a  good  crop. 

Oranges  grow  beautifully  and  magnificently  ;  but,  to  our  great  disappointment,  they  are 
the  sour  kind.     Sweet  oranges  are  cultivated  farther  south,  and  in  lower  plains  and 


valleys,  near  the  sea-coast. 
Pumpkins  and  a  variety 
ral  thing,  very  few  vegetables  are  used  by  the  Mexicans,'  except  red  "pepper. 


Pumpkins  and  a  variety^of  squashes  grow  abundantly,  and  are  much  used.     As  a  gene- 


THE  DESIGNS  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT.  13 


CHAPTER  II. 

The  Designs  of  the  Government  at  Washington — Mr.  Secretary  Bancroft's  Instructions  to 
Captain  Sloat  in  1 845 — Same  in  1846 — Confidential  Communication  of  Mr.  Secretary  Marcy 
to  General  Kearny — Letter  of  Instruction  addressed  by  Mr.  Bancroft  to  Captain  Sloat  after 
the  Battles  of  Palo  Alto  and  Resaca  de  la  Palma,  fyc. 

THE  administration  of  the  Government  at  Washington  having  failed  to 
maintain  the  title  of  the  United  States  to  the  Territory  of  Oregon  up  to 
54°  40',  agreeably  to  the  pledges  of  President  Polk  and  his  friends,  it  seems 
that  their  attention,  immediately  after  the  settlement  of  the  Oregon  question, 
was  turned  to  the  seizure  of  California  and  New  Mexico,  as  the  means  of 
satisfying  those  who  complained  at  the  dismemberment  of  Oregon,  deeming 
that  the  acquisition  of  2500  miles  of  seaboard  on  the  Pacific  would  be  re 
ceived  in  full  requite  for  the  9°  surrendered  to  the  British  government ;  and 
particularly  so  by  the  people  of  certain  states  of  the  Union  who  are  known 
to  be  ever  jealous  of  "the  extension  of  the  area  of  freedom"  north  of  the 
line  adopted  by  the  Missouri  compromise  ;  and  who  are  ever  looking  with  a 
greedy  eye  to  the  acquisition  of  territory,  the  soil  of  which  is  capable  of 
producing  a  better  return  for  servile  labour  than  the  worn-out  lands  of  the 
Atlantic  slave  states.  The  reiterated  instructions  of  the  government  at 
Washington  to  the  military  and  naval  officers  of  the  Union  are  evidences  in 
support  of  the  preceding  assumptions.  Copies  of  these  are  presented  to  the 
reader,  as  they  were  communicated  to  Congress  by  the  President ;  and  they 
very  plainly  exhibit  the  fact  that  the  design  of  the  government  at  Washing 
ton,  to  seize  and  hold  the  Californias  and  New  Mexico,  was  entertained  long 
before  the  commencement  of  belligerent  operations  on  the  banks  of  the  Rio 
Grande. 

[Secret  and  confidential.] 
UNITED  STATES  NAVY  UEPAHTMENT,  Washington,  June  24,  1845. 

Sir :  Your  attention  is  still  particularly  directed  to  the  present  aspect  of  the  relations  be 
tween  this  country  and  Mexico.  It  is  the  earnest  desire  of  the  President  to  pursue  the 
policy  of  peace,  and  he  is  anxious  that  you  and  every  part  of  your  squadron  should  be 
assiduously  careful  to  avoid  any  act  which  could  be  construed  as  an  act  of  aggression. 

Should  Mexico,  however,  be  resolutely  bent  on  hostilities,  you  will  be  mindful  to  protect 
the  persons  and  interests  of  citizens  of  the  United  States  near  your  station ;  and  should 
you  ascertain,  beyond  a  doubt,  that  the  Mexican  government  has  declared  war  against  us, 
you  will  at  once  employ  the  force  under  your  command  to  the  best  advantage.  The 
Mexican  ports  on  the  Pacific  are  said  to  be  open  and  defenceless.  If  you  ascertain  with 
certainty  that  Mexico  has  declared  war  against  the  United  States,  you  will  at  once  possess 
yourself  of  the  port  of  San  Francisco,  and  blockade  or  occupy  such  other  ports  as  your 
force  may  permit. 

Yet,  even  if  you  should  find  yourself  called  upon,  by  the  certainty  of  an  express  declaration 
of  war  against  the  United  States,  to  occupy  San  Francisco  and  other  Mexican  ports,  you 
will  be  careful  to  preserve,  if  possible,  the  most  friendly  relations  with  the  inhabitants  ;  and, 
where  you  can  do  so,  you  will  encourage  them  to  adopt  a  course  of  neutrality. 

Should  you  fall  in  with  the  squadron  under  Commodore  Parker,  you  will  signify  to  him 
the  wish  of  the  department,  that  if  the  state  of  his  vessels  will  admit  of  it,  he  should  remain 
off  the  coast  of  Mexico  until  our  relations  with  that  power  are  more  definitively  adjusted ; 
and  you  will  take  directions  from  him,  as  your  senior  officer,  communicating  to  him  these 
instructions. 

The  great  distance  of  your  squadron,  and  the  difficulty  of  communicating  with  you,  are 
the  causes  for  issuing  this  order.  The  President  hopes  most  earnestly,  that  the  peace  of 
the  two  countries  may  not  be  disturbed.  The  object  of  these  instructions  is  to  possess 

B' 


14  INSTRUCTIONS  TO  CAPTAIN  SLOAT. 

you  of  the  views  of  the  government,  in  the  event  of  a  declaration,  of  war  on  the  part  of 
Mexico  against  the  United  States ;  an  event  which  you  are  enjoined  to  do  every  thing,  con 
sistent  with  the  national  honour,  on  your  part,  to  avoid. 

Should  Commodore  Parker  prefer  to  return  to  the  United  States,  he  has  permission  from 
the  department  to  do  so.  In  that  event,  you  will  command  the  united  squadron.  Very 
respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  GEORGE  BANCROFT. 

Com.  JOHN  D.  SLOAT,  Commanding  U.  S.  naval  forces  in  ihc  Pacific. 

UNITED  STATES  NAVY  DEPAKTMENT,  Washington,  May  13,  1846. 

Co  MM  on  on  r. :  The  state  of  things  alluded  to  in  my  letter  of  June  24,  1845,  has  oc 
curred. 

You  will  therefore  now  be  governed  by  the  instructions  therein  contained,  and  carry  into 
effect  the  orders  then  communicated  with  energy  and  promptitude,  and  adopt  such  other  mea 
sures  for  the  protection  of  the  persons  and  interests,  the  rights  and  the  commerce  of  the 
citizens  of  the  United  States,  as  your  sound  judgment  may  deem  to  be  required. 

When  you  establish  a  blockade,  you  will  allow  neutrals  twenty  days  to  leave  the 
blockaded  ports ;  and  you  will  render  your  blockade  absolute,  except  against  armed  vessels 
of  neutral  nations. 

Commending  you  and  your  ships'  companies  to  Divine  Providence,  I  am,  respectfully, 
your  obedient  servant,  GEORGE  BANCROFT. 

Commodore  JOHN  D.  SLOAT,  Commanding  U.  S.  squadron,  Pacific. 

UNITED  STATES  NATT  DEPARTMENT,  Washington,  May  15,  1846. 

COMMODOHE:  By  my  letter  of  the  13th  instant,  forwarded  to  you  through  different 
sources,  in  triplicate,  of  which  a  copy  is  enclosed,  you  were  informed  of  the  existing  state 
of  war  between  this  government  and  the  republic  of  Mexico,  and  referred  to  your  instruc 
tions  bearing  date  June  24th,  1845,  in  reference  to  such  a  contingency,  and  directed  to  "  carry 
into  effect  the  orders  then  communicated  with  energy  and  promptitude,  and  adopt  such  other 
measures  for  the  protection  of  the  persons  and  interests,  the  rights  and  the  commerce  of 
the  citizens  of  the  United  States,  as  your  sound  judgment  may  deem  to  be  required." 

I  transmit  you  herewith,  by  the  hands  of  Midshipman  McRae,  whom  you  will  employ 
on  your  station,  a  file  of  papers  containing  the  President's  message,  and  the  proceedings  of 
Congress,  relative  to  the  existing  state  of  war  with  Mexico.  The  President,  by  authority 
of  Congress,  has  made  proclamation  of  war  between  the  United  States  and  Mexico.  You 
will  find  a  copy  of  the  proclamation  in  the  papers  enclosed. 

You  will  henceforth  exercise  all  the  rights  that  belong  to  you  as  commander-in-chief  of 
a  belligerent  squadron. 

You  will  consider  the  most  important  public  object  to  be,  to  take  and  to  hold  possession  of 
San  Francisco  ;  and  this  you  will  do  without  fail. 

You  will  also  take  possession  of  Mazatlan  and  of  Monterey,  one  or  both,  as  your  force  will 
permit. 

If  information  received  here  is  correct,  you  can  establish  friendly  relations  between  yov?r 
squadron  and  the  inhabitants  of  each  of  these  three  places. 

Guymas  is  also  a  good  harbour,  and  is  believed  to  be  defenceless.  You  will  judge  about 
attempting  it. 

When  you  cannot  take  and  hold  possession  of  a  town,  you  may  establish  a  blockade,  if 
you  have  the  means  to  do  it  effectually,  and  the  public  interest  shall  require  it. 

With  the  expression  of  these  views,  much  is  left  to  your  discretion  as  to  the  selection  of 
the  points  of  attack,  the  poits  you  will  seize,  the  ports  which  you  will  blockade,  and  as  to 
the  order  of  your  successive  movements. 

Jl  connection  between  California,  and  even  Sonora,  and  the  present  government  of  Mexico, 
is  supposed  scarcely  to  exist.  You  will,  as  opportunity  offers,  conciliate  the  confidence  of  the 
people  in  California,  and  also  in  Sonora,  towards  the  government  of  the  United  States ;  and 
you  will  endeavour  to  render  their  relations  with  the  United  States  as  intimate  and  as  friendly 
as  possible. 

It  is  important  that  you  should  hold  possession,  at  least,  of  San  Francisco,  even  while  yon 
encourage  the  people  to  neutrality,  self-government,  and  friendship. 

You  can  readily  conduct  yourself  in  such  a  manner  as  will  render  your  occupation  of 
San  Francisco  and  other  ports  a  benefit  to  the  inhabitants. 

Commodore  Biddle  has  left,  or  will  soon  leave,  China.  If  occasion  offers,  you  will 
send  letters  for  him,  to  our  agent  at  the  Sandwich  Islands ;  conveying  to  him  the  wish  of 
the  department  that  he  should  appear,  at  once,  off  California  or  Sonora. 


INSTRUCTIONS  TO   COLONEL  KEARNY.  15 

You  will  inform  the  department,  by  the  earliest  opportunity,  of  those  ports  which  you 
blockade.  You  will  notify  neutrals  of  any  declaration  of  blockade  you  may  make,  and 
give  to  it  all  proper  publicity.  Your  blockade  must  be  strict,  permitting  only  armed  vessels 
of  neutral  powers  to  enter ;  but  to  neutrals  already  in  the  ports,  you  will  allow  twenty 
days  to  leave  them. 

The  frigate  "  Potomac,"  and  sloop  "  Saratoga,"  have  been  ordered  to  proceed  as  soon  as 
possible  into  the  Pacific;  and  Captain  Aulick  in  the  Potomac,  and  Commander  Shubrick 
in  the  Saratoga,  directed  to  report  to  you  at  Mazatlan,  or  wherever  else  they  may  find  your 
forces.  You  will  do  well,  if  occasion  offers,  to  send  orders  to  Callao  and  Valparaiso,  in 
structing  them  where  to  meet  you. 

Other  reinforcements  will  be  sent  you  as  the  exigencies  of  the  service  may  require. 

You  will  communicate  with  the  department  as  often  as  you  can,  and  you  will,  if  practi 
cable,  send  a  messenger  with  despatches  across  the  country  to  the  Del  Norte,  and  so  to 
Washington.  Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

GEORGE  BANCROFT. 

Commodore  JOHN  D.  SLOAT,  Commanding  U.  S.  naval  forces  in  the  Pacific. 

The  intentions  of  the  Government  at  Washington  are  alike  fully  expressed 
in  the  following  copy  of  a  communication  from  the  Secretary  of  War  to 
General  Kearny,  containing  instructions  for  the  movements  he  was  to  lead 
for  the  seizure  of  Alta  California. 

[Confidential] 
WAR  DEPARTMENT,  Washington,  June  3,  1846. 

SIR, — I  herewith  send  you  a  copy  of  my  letter  to  the  governor  of  Missouri  for  an  addi 
tional  force  of  1000  mounted  men. 

The  object  of  thus  adding  to  the  force  under  your  command  is  not,  as  you  will  perceive, 
fully  set  forth  in  that  letter,  for  the  reason  that  it  is  deemed  prudent  that  it  should  not,  at 
this  time,  become  a  matter  of  public  notoriety  ;  but  to  you  it  is  proper  and  necessary  that 
it  should  be  stated. 

It  has  been  decided  by  the  President,  to  be  of  the  greatest  importance  in  the  pending  war 
with  Mexico,  to  take  the  earliest  possession  of  Upper  California.  An  expedition  with  that 
vieiv  is  hereby  ordered,  and  you  are  designated  to  command  it.  To  enable  you  to  be  in  suffi 
cient  force  to  conduct  it  successfully,  this  additional  force  of  1000  mounted  men  has  been 
provided,  to  follow  you  in  the  direction  of  Santa  Fe,  to  be  under  your  orders,  or  the  offi 
cer  you  may  leave  in  command  at  Santa  Fe. 

It  cannot  be  determined  how  far  this  additional  force  will  be  behind  that  designed  for  the 
Santa  Fe  expedition,  but  it  will  not  probably  be  more  than  a  few  weeks.  When  you 
arrive  at  Santa  Fe  with  the  force  already  called,  and  shall  have  taken  possession  of  it,  you 
may  find  yourself  in  a  condition  to  garrison  it  with  a  small  part  of  your  command,  (as  the 
additional  force  will  soon  be  at  that  place,)  and  with  the  remainder  press  forward  to  Cali 
fornia.  In  that  case,  you  will  make  such  arrangements,  as  to  being  followed  by  the  rein 
forcements  before  mentioned,  as  in  your  judgment  may  be  deemed  safe  and  prudent.  I 

NEED    NOT    SAT    TO    YOU,    THAT    IN    CASE    YOU    CONQ.UER    SANTA    FE,  (and  with  it  will  be 

included  the  department  or  state  of  New  Mexico,)  IT  WILL  BE  IMPORTANT  TO  PROTIDE 
FOR  RETAINING  SAFE  POSSESSION  OF  IT.  Should  you  deem  it  prudent  to  have  still 
more  troops  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  objects  herein  designated,  you  will  lose  no  time 
in  communicating  your  opinion  on  that  point,  and  all  others  connected  with  the  enterprise, 
to  this  department.  Indeed,  you  are  hereby  authorized  to  make  a  direct  requisition  for  it 
upon  the  governor  of  Missouri. 

It  is  known  that  a  large  body  of  Mormon  emigrants  are  en  route  to  California,  for  the 
purpose  of  settling  in  that  country.  You  are  desired  to  use  all  proper  means  to  have  a 
good  understanding  with  them,  to  the  end  that  the  United  States  may  have  their  co-opera 
tion  in  taking  possession  of,  and  holding  that  country.  It  has  been  suggested  here,  that 
many  of  these  Mormons  would  willingly  enter  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  and  aid 
us  in  our  expedition  against  California.  You  are  hereby  authorized  to  muster  into  service 
such  as  can  be  induced  to  volunteer — not,  however,  to  a  number  exceeding  one-third  of 
your  entire  force.  Should  they  enter  the  service,  they  will  be  paid  as  other  volunteers ; 
and  you  can  allow  them  to  designate,  so  far  as  it  can  be  properly  done,  the  persons  to  act  as 
officers  thereof.  It  is  understood,  that  a  considerable  number  of  American  citizens  are  now- 
settled  on  the  Sacramento  river,  near  Suter's  establishment,  called  " Nueva  Helvetia" — 


16  INSTRUCTIONS  TO   COLONEL  KEARNY. 

who  are  well-disposed  towards  the  United  States.  Should  you,  on  your  arrival  in  the 
country,  find  this  to  be  the  true  state  of  things  there,  you  are  authorized  to  organize  and 
receive  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  such  portion  of  these  citizens  as  you  may  think 
useful  to  aid  you  to  hold  the  possession  of  the  country.  You  will,  in  that  case,  allow  them 
so  far  as  you  shall  judge  proper,  to  select  their  own  officers.  A  large  discretionary  power 
is  invested  in  you  in  regard  to  these  matters,  as  well  as  to  all  others  in  relation  to  the  expe 
ditions  confided  to  your  command. 

The  choice  of  routes  by  which  you  will  enter  California,  will  be  left  to  your  better 
knowledge  and  ampler  means  of  getting  accurate  information.  We  are  assured  that  a 
southern  route  (called  the  Caravan  route,  by  which  the  wild  horses  are  brought  from  that 
country  into  New  Mexico)  is  practicable ;  and  it  is  suggested  as  not  improbable  that  it  can 
be  passed  over  in  the  winter  months,  or,  at  least,  late  in  autumn.  It  is  hoped  that  this 
information  may  prove  to  be  correct. 

In  regard  to  the  routes,  the  practicability  of  procuring  needful  supplies  for  men  and 
animals,  and  transporting  baggage,  is  a  point  to  be  well  considered.  Should  the  President 
be  disappointed  in  his  cherished  hope  that  you  will  be  able  to  reach  the  interior  of  Upper 
California  before  winter,  you  are  then  desired  to  make  the  best  arrangement  you  can  for 
sustaining  your  forces  during  the  winter,  and  for  an  early  movement  in  the  spring.  Though 
it  is  very  desirable  that  the  expedition  should  reach  California  this  season,  (and  the  Presi 
dent  does  not  doubt  you  will  make  every  possible  effort  to  accomplish  this  object,)  yet,  if  in 
your  judgment,  it  cannot  be  undertaken  with  a  reasonable  prospect  of  success,  you  will 
defer  it,  as  above  suggested,  until  spring.  You  are  left  unembarrassed  by  any  specific 
directions  in  this  matter. 

It  is  expected  that  the  naval  forces  of  the  United  States,  which  are  now,  or  will  soon  be, 
in  the  Pacific,  will  be  in  possession  of  all  the  towns  on  the  seacoast,  and  will  co-operate 
with  you  in  the  conquest  of  California.  Arms,  ordnance,  munitions  of  war,  and  provisions, 
to  be  used  in  that  country,  will  be  sent  by  sea  to  our  squadron  in  the  Pacific,  for  the  use 
of  the  land  forces. 

Should  you  conquer  and  take  possession  of  New  Mexico  and  Upper  California,  or  con 
siderable  places  in  either,  you  will  establish  temporary  civil  governments  therein — abolish 
ing  all  arbitrary  restrictions  that  may  exist,  so  far  as  it  may  be  done  with  safety.  In  per 
forming  this  duty,  it  would  be  wise  and  prudent  to  continue  in  their  employment  all  such 
of  the  existing  officers  as  are  known  to  be  friendly  to  the  United  States,  and  will  take  the 
oath  of  allegiance  to  them.  The  duties  at  the  custom-houses  ought  at  once  to  be  reduced  to 
such  a  rate  as  may  be  barely  sufficient  to  maintain  the  necessary  officers  without  yielding  any 
revenue  to  the  government.  You  may  assure  the  people  of  those  provinces  that  it  is  the 
wish  and  design  of  the  United  States  to  provide  for  them  a  free  government  with  the  least 
possible  delay,  similar  to  that  which  exists  in  our  territories.  They  will  then  be  called  on 
to  exercise  the  rights  of  freemen  in  electing  their  own  representatives  to  the  territorial  legis 
lature.  It  is  foreseen,  that  what  relates  to  the  civil  government  will  be  a  difficult  and  un 
pleasant  part  of  your  duty,  and  much  must  necessarily  be  left  to  your  own  discretion. 

In  your  whole  conduct  you  will  act  in  such  a  manner  as  best  to  conciliate  the  inhabit 
ants,  and  render  them  friendly  to  the  United  States. 

It  is  desirable  that  the  usual  trade  between  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  and  the 
Mexican  provinces  should  be  continued  as  far  as  practicable,  under  the  changed  condition 
of  things  between  the  two  countries.  In  consequence  of  extending  your  expedition  into 
California,  it  may  be  proper  that  you  should  increase  your  supply  for  goods  to  be  distri 
buted  as  presents  to  the  Indians.  The  United  States  superintendent  of  Indian  affairs  at 
St.  Louis  will  aid  you  in  procuring  these  goods.  You  will  be  furnished  with  a  proclama 
tion  in  the  Spanish  language,  to  be  issued  by  you,  and  circulated  among  the  Mexican 
people,  on  your  entering  into  or  approaching  their  country.  You  will  use  your  utmost 
endeavours  to  have  the  pledges  and  promises  therein  contained  carried  out  to  the  utmost 
extent 

I  am  directed  by  the  President  to  say  that  the  rank  of  brevet  brigadier-general  will  be 
conferred  on  you  as  soon  as  you  commence  your  movement  towards  California,  and  sent 
round  to  you  by  sea,  or  over  the  country,  or  to  the  care  of  the  commandant  of  our  squad 
ron  in  the  Pacific.  In  that  way,  cannon,  arms,  ammunition,  and  supplies  for  the  land 
forces,  will  be  sent  to  you. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

WILLIAM   L.  MARCY,  Secretary  of  War. 

CoL  STEPHEN  W.  KBARNT,  Fort  Leavenworth,  Missouri. 


MOTIVES  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT.  17 

The  following  copy  of  a  communication  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
to  the  American  naval  commander  on  the  coast  of  California,  is  still  more 
explicit  as  to  the  designs  of  the  government  at  Washington  : 

UNITED  STATES  NAVY  DEPARTMENT,  Washington,  June  8,  1846. 

COJIMODOHF,, — You  have  already  been  instructed,  and  are  now  instructed,  to  employ  the 
force  under  your  command,  first,  to  take  possession  of  San  Francisco-  next,  to  take  posses 
sion  of  Monterey  ;  next,  to  take  possession  of  such  other  Mexican  ports  as  you  may  be  able  to 
hold  ;  next,  to  blockade  as  many  of  the  Mexican  ports  in  the  Pacific  as  your  force  will  per 
mit,  and  to  watch  over  American  interests,  and  citizens  and  commerce,  on  the  west  coast 
of  Mexico. 

It  is  rumoured  that  the  province  of  California  is  well  disposed  to  accede  to  friendly  relations 
with  the  United  States.  You  will  encourage  the  people  of  that  region  to  enter  into  relations 
of  amity  with  our  country. 

In  taking  possession  of  their  harbours,  you  will,  if  possible,  endeavour  to  establish  the 
supremacy  of  the  American  flag  without  any  strife  with  the  people  of  California. 

The  squadron  on  the  east  coast  of  Mexico,  it  is  believed,  is  in  the  most  friendly  relations 
with  Yucatan.  In  like  manner,  if  California  separates  herself  from  our  enemy,  the  central 
Mexican  government,  and  establishes  a  government  of  its  own,  under  the  auspices  of  the 
American  flag,  you  will  take  such  measures  as  will  best  promote  the  attachment  of  the  peo 
ple  of  California  to  the  United*  States,  will  advance  their  prosperity,  and  will  make  that 
vast  region  a  desirable  place  of  residence  for  emigrants  from  our  soil. 

Considering  the  great  distance  at  which  you  are  placed  from  the  department,  and  the 
circumstances  that  will  constantly  arise,  much  must  be  left  to  your  discretion.  You  will 
bear  in  mind,  generally,  that  this  country  desires  to  find  in  California  a  friend,  and  not  an 
enemy ;  to  be  connected  with  it  by  near  ties ;  to  hold  possession  of  it,  at  least  during  the 
war ;  and  to  hold  that  possession,  if  possible,  with  the  consent  of  its  inhabitants. 

The  sloop-of-war  "  Dale,"  Commander  McKean,  sailed  from  New  York,  on  the  3d 
instant,  to  join  your  squadron.  The  "  Lexington,"  Lieutenant  Bailey,  will  sail  as  soon  as 
she  can  take  on  board  her  stores.  The  «  Potomac"  and  «  Saratoga  "  have  also  been  ordered 
to  the  Pacific. 

I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

GEORGE   BANCROFT. 

Com.  JOHK  D.  SLOAT,  Com'g  U.  S.  Naval  forces  in  the  Pacific  ocean. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Justification  of  War — The  motives  of  the  Government  at  Washington  reviewed— *•  Report  of 
the  Secretary  of  War,  in  reference  to  the  occupation  of  California — Lieut.  Col.  John  C. 
Fremont — His  revolutionary  movements — The  responsibility  of  the  United  States  govern 
ment,  fyc. 

THE  prosecution  of  a  war  by  a  civilized  nation,  is  understood  to  be  justi 
fied  only  for  the  purpose  of  forcing  from  the  opposite  belligerent  power 
satisfaction  for  some  national  grievance  which  had  been  refused,  but  which 
was  accorded  by  justice,  and  demanded  by  national  honour ;  and  to  secure 
a  proper  redress  for  national  wrongs,  and  by  inflicting  injury  and  evil  upon 
the  government  and  people  of  Mexico,  to  such  an  extent  as  should  compel 
them  to  acknowledge  the  rights  of  our  citizens,  and  the  justice  of  the  claims 
of  our  government  has  been  declared  the  motives  for  the  prosecution  of  the 
existing  war  with  Mexico.  If  such  be  the  motives  of  the  government  at 
Washington,  for  which  the  people  of  the  Union  are  taxed,  and  the  bones  of 
thousands  of  American  citizens  are  laid  to  whiten  upon  the  rocks  and  sands 
of  Mexico,  in  the  prosecution  of  the  existing  war,  the  instructions  given  to 
the  American  military  and  naval  commanders  are  in  shocking  disjoint  with 
the  motives  of  the  government.  With  an  intent  to  do  hurt  to  Mexico  and 
the  Mexicans,  until  they  will  consent  to  do  us  justice,  it  will  be  difficult  to 
3  B  2 


18  MOTIVES  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT  REVIEWED. 

discover  the  policy  of  the  instructions  to  the  commanders  charged  with  the 
prosecution  of  the  measures  of  the  war,  "  to  conciliate  the  confidence  of 
the  people  in  California  and  New  Mexico,  (territories  of  Mexico,)  toward? 
the  government  of  the  United  States  ;  and  to  render  their  relations  with  the 
United  States  as  intimate  and  friendly  as  possible ;"  or,  "  to  encourage  them 
to  adopt  a  course  of  neutrality ;"  or,  "  to  encourage  the  people  of  that 
region,  (California  and  New  Mexico,)  to  enter  into  relations  of  amity  with 
our  country." 

Robbery  by  the  footpad  is  not  more  heinous  than  a  war  prosecuted  for 
conquest.  Such  a  war  is  but  open  aggression,  and  wholesale  wrong — em 
bracing  all  of  the  individual  crimes  of  robbery,  rape,  arson  and  murder. 
But,  if  the  reading  and  thinking  part  of  mankind  were  left  to  believe  the 
oft  repeated  declaration  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  that  the  war 
with  Mexico  "  has  not  been  waged  with  a  view  to  conquest ;"  the  fears  of 
the  American  people  would  be  without  cause  of  excitement,  least  their 
country  should  be  made  chargeable  with  the  infamy  of  having  prosecuted 
a  war  for  a  conquest,  the  stupendousness  of  which  might  have  satisfied  an 
Alexander,  a  Caesar,  or  a  Napoleon. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  communicating  his  instructions  to  Captain 
John  D.  Sloat,  commanding  the  United  States  squadron  on  the  coast  of  Cali 
fornia,  under  date  of  "  United  States  Navy  Department,  Washington,  May 
15,  1846,"  writes  as  follows : 

"  You  will  consider  the  most  important  public  object  to  be,  to  take  and 
to  hold  possession  of  San  Francisco  ;  and  this  you  will  do  without  fail.  You 
will  also  take  possession  of  Mazatlan,  and  of  Monterey,  one  or  both,  as  your 
force  will  permit.  If  information  received  here  is  correct,  you  can  establish 
friendly  relations  between  your  squadron  and  the  inhabitants  of  each  of  these 
three  places  ;"  and  then  the  Secretary  adds :  "  Jl  connection  between  Cali 
fornia,  and  even  Sonora,  and  the  present  government  of  Mexico,  is  sup 
posed  scarcely  to  exist." 

The  President  in  a  message  addressed  to  Congress,  under  date  of  "  Feb 
ruary  13,  1847,"  states  as  follows  :  "  It  has  been  my  unalterable  purpose, 
since  the  commencement  of  hostilities  by  Mexico,  and  the  declaration  of  the 
existence  of  war  by  Congress,  to  prosecute  the  war  in  which  the  country 
was  unavoidably  involved  with  the  utmost  energy,  with  a  view  to  its  speedy 
and  successful  termination  by  an  honourable  peace." 

The  truth  of  the  President's  declaration  is  challenged  by  facts,  and  the 
proceedings  of  those  deriving  their  authority  from  him,  and  acting  under 
his  immediate  directions.  How  otherwise,  than  for  the  purpose  of  con 
quest,  could  it  become  "the  most  important  public  object,"  to  seize  the  ports 
of  Alta  California,  distant  2000  miles,  or  nearly  that,  from  the  theatre  of 
active  war,  at  the  very  moment  when  it  was  supposed  by  the  government 
at  Washington,  that  "  there  scarcely  existed  a  connection  between  Califor 
nia  and  Sonora,  and  the  government  of  Mexico ;"  and  how,  with  an  "  unal 
terable  purpose"  to  prosecute  the  existing  war  "  with  the  utmost  energy,'* 
for  the  accomplishment  of  a  "  speedy  and  successful  termination,"  could 
the  President  have  diverted  a  great  portion  of  the  means  of  the  country, 
and  a  large  and  important  division  of  its  forces,  for  the  seizure  of  immense 
territories,  undefended,  without  forts,  and  with  but  a  mere  nominal  white 
population ;  while  the  divisions  of  the  army  actually  engaged  in  the  prose 
cution  of  the  war  have  been  crippled  for  the  want  of  supplies,  and  by  defi 
ciency  of  numbers  compelled  to  inactivity,  without  acknowledging  himself 
criminally  weak,  or  venally  false  1, 

The  official  instructions  of  the  government  at  Washington,  so  plainly  ex- 


REPORT  ON  THE  OCCUPATION  OF  CALIFORNIA.  19 

pressive  of  a  design  to  conquer  the  undefended  territories  of  Alta  California, 
Baja  California,  New  Mexico,  and  Sonora,  given  to  the  American  military 
and  naval  commanders,  seem  to  have  been  anticipated,  in  a  measure,  in  their 
execution,  by  other  agents  who  had  acted  under  private  instructions  ;  whose 
operations  are  thus  bluntly  explained  by  the  Secretary  of  War  in  his  official 
report,  under  date  of  December  5,  1846 : 

"  In  May,  1845,  John  C.  Fremont,  then  a  brevet  captain  in  the  corps  of 
topographical  engineers,  and  since  appointed  a  lieutenant-colonel,  left  HERE 
under  orders  from  this  department,  to  pursue  his  explorations  in  the  re 
gions  beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  objects  of  this  service  were,  as 
those  of  his  previous  explorations  had  been,  of  a  scientific  character,  without 
any  view  whatever  to  military  operations.  Not  an  officer  or  soldier  of  the 
United  States  army  accompanied  him  ;  and  his  whole  force  consisted  of 
sixty-two  men,  employed  by  himself  for  security  against  Indians,  and  for 
procuring  subsistence  in  the  wilderness  and  desert  country  through  which 
he  was  to  pass. 

"  One  of  the  objects  he  had  in  view,  was  to  discover  a  new  and  shorter 
route  from  the  western  base  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Columbia  river.  This  search,  for  a  part  of  the  distance,  would  carry  him 
through  the  unsettled,  and,  afterwards,  through  a  corner  of  the  settled  parts 
of  California.  He  approached  these  settlements  in  the  winter  of  1845-6. 
Aware  of  the  critical  state  of  affairs  between  the  United  States  and  Mexico, 
and  determined  to  give  no  cause  of  offence  to  the  authorities  of  the  province, 
with  commendable  prudence  he  halted  his  command  on  the  frontier,  one 
hundred  miles  from  Monterey,  and  proceeded  alone  to  that  city,  to  explain 
the  object  of  his  coming,  to  the  commandant- general,  Castro,  and  to  obtain 
permission  to  go  to  the  valley  of  the  San  Joaquim,  where  there  was  game 
for  his  men,  and  grass  for  his  horses,  and  no  inhabitants  to  be  molested  by 
his  presence.  The  leave  was  granted :  but  scarcely  had  he  reached  the 
desired  spot  for  refreshrhent  and  repose,  before  he  received  information  from 
the  American  settlements,  and  by  express  from  our  consul  at  Monterey,  that 
General  Castro  was  preparing  to  attack  him  with  a  comparatively  large 
force  of  artillery,  cavalry,  and  infantry,  upon  the  pretext  that,  under  the 
cover  of  a  scientific  mission,  he  was  exciting  the  American  settlers  to  revolt. 
In  view  of  this  danger,  and  to  be  in  a  condition  to  repel  an  attack,  he  then 
took  a  position  on  a  mountain  overlooking  Monterey,  at  a  distance  of  about 
thirty  miles,  intrenched  it,  raised  the  flag  of  the  United  States,  and  with  his 
own  men,  sixty-two  in  number,  awaited  the  approach  of  the  commandant- 
general. 

"  From  the  7th  to  the  10th  of  March,  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont  and 
his  little  band  maintained  this  position.  General  Castro  did  not  approach 
within  attacking  distance,  and  Colonel  Fremont,  adhering  to  his  plan  of 
avoiding  all  collisions,  and  determined  neither  to  compromit  his  government, 
nor  the  American  settlers,  ready  to  join  him  at  all  hazards  if  he  had  been 
attacked,  abandoned  his  position,  and  commenced  his  march  for  Oregon, 
intending  by  that  route  to  return  to  the  United  States.  Deeming  all  danger 
from  the  Mexicans  to  be  passed,  he  yielded  to  the  wishes  of  some  of  his 
men  who  desired  to  remain  in  the  country,  discharged  them  from  his  service, 
and  refused  to  receive  others  in  their  stead,  so  cautious  was  he  to  avoid 
doing  any  thing1  which  would  compromit  the  American  settlers,  or  give  even 
a  colour  of  offence  to  the  Mexican  authorities.  He  pursued  his  march 
slowly  and  leisurely,  as  the  state  of  his  men  and  horses  required,  until  the 
middle  of  May,  and  had  reached  the  northern  shore  of  the  greater  Tlamath 
lake,  within  the  limits  of  the  Oregon  Territory,  when  he  found  his  farther 


20  REPORT  ON  THE  OCCUPATION  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

progress  in  that  direction  obstructed  by  impassable  snowy  mountains  and 
hostile  Indians,  who  had  been  excited  against  him  by  General  Castro,  had 
killed  and  wounded  four  of  his  men,  and  left  him  no  repose  either  in  camp 
or  on  his  march.  At  the  same  time,  information  reached  him  that  General 
Castro,  in  addition  to  his  Indian  allies,  was  advancing  in  person  against 
him,  with  artillery  and  cavalry,  at  the  head  of  four  or  five  hundred  men ; 
that  they  were  passing  around  the  head  of  the  bay  of  San  Francisco  to  a 
rendezvous  on  the  north  side  of  it,  and  that  the  American  settlers  in  the 
valley  of  the  Sacramento  were  comprehended  in  the  scheme  of  destruction 
meditated  against  his  own  party.  Under  these  circumstances,  he  deter^ 
mined  to  turn  upon  his  Mexican  pursuers,  and  seek  safety  both  for  his  own 
party,  and  the  American  settlers,  not  merely  in  the  defeat  of  Castro,  but  in 
the  total  overthrow  of  the  Mexican  authority  in  California,  and  the  establish 
ment  of  an  independent  government  in  that  extensive  department.  It  was 
on  the  6th  of  June,  and  before  the  commencement  of  the  war  between  the 
United  States  and  Mexico  could  have  been  known,  that  this  resolution  was 
taken ;  and,  by  the  5th  of  July,  it  was  carried  into  effect  by  a  series  of  rapid 
attacks  by  a  small  body  of  adventurous  men,  under  the  conduct  of  an  intre 
pid  leader,  quick  to  perceive  and  able  to  direct  the  proper  measures  for  ac 
complishing  such  a  daring  enterprise.  On  the  llth  of  June,  a  convoy  of 
200  horses  for  Castro's  camp,  with  an  officer  and  fourteen  men,  were  sur 
prised  and  captured  by  twelve  of  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont's  party.  On 
the  15th,  at  daybreak,  the  military  post  of  Sonoma  was  surprised  and  taken, 
with  nine  brass  cannon,  250  stands  of  muskets,  and  several  officers,  and 
some  men  and  munitions  of  war.  Leaving  a  small  garrison  in  Sonoma, 
Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont  went  to  the  Sacramento  to  arouse  the  American 
settlers :  but  scarcely  had  he  arrived  there,  when  an  express  reached  him 
from  the  garrison  of  Sonoma,  with  information  that  Castro's  whole  force  was 
crossing  the  bay  to  attack  that  place.  This  intelligence  was  received  in  the 
afternoon  of  the  23d  of  June,  while  he  was  on  the  American  fork  of  the 
Sacramento,  eighty  miles  from  the  little  garrison  at  Sonoma  ;  and,  at  two 
o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  25th,  he  arrived  at  that  place  with  ninety 
riflemen  from  the  American  settlers  in  that  valley.  The  enemy  had  not 
yet  appeared.  Scouts  were  sent  out  to  reconnoitre,  and  a  party  of  twenty 
fell  in  with  a  squadron  of  seventy  dragoons,  (all  of  Castro's'  force  which  had 
crossed  the  bay,)  attacked  and  defeated  it,  killing  and  wounding  five,  with 
out  harm  to  themselves ;  the  Mexican  commander,  De  la  Torre,  barely 
escaping  with  the  loss  of  his  transport  boats,  and  nine  pieces  of  brass  artil 
lery,  spiked. 

"  The  country  north  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco  being  cleared  of  the 
enemy,  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont  returned  to  Sonoma  on  the  evening  of 
the  4th  of  July,  and,  on  the  morning  of  the  5th,  called  the  people  together, 
explained  to  them  the  condition  of  things  in  the  province,  and  recommended 
an  immediate  declaration  of  independence.  The  declaration  was  made,  and 
he  was  selected  to  take  the  chief  direction  of  affairs.  The  attack  on  Castro 
was  the  next  object.  He  was  at  Santa  Clara,  an  intrenched  post  on  the 
upper  or  south  side  of  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  with  400  men  and  two 
pieces  of  field-artillery.  A  circuit  of  more  than  100  miles  must  be  tra 
versed  to  reach  him.  On  the  6th  of  July  the  pursuit  was  commenced,  by 
a  body  of  160  mounted  riflemen,  commanded  by  Colonel  Fremont  in  per 
son,  who,  in  three  days,  arrived  at  the  American  settlements  on  the  Rio  de 
los  Americanos.  Here  he  learnt  that  Castro  had  abandoned  Santa  Clara, 
and  was  retreating  south,  towards  Cuidad  de  los  Angelos,  the  seat  of  tho 
governor-general  of  the  Californias,  and  distant  400  miles.  It  was  instantly 


LIEUTENANT-COLONEL  FREMONT.  21 

resolved  on  to  pursue  him  to  that  place.  At  the  moment  of  departure,  the 
gratifying  intelligence  was  received  that  war  with  Mexico  had  commenced ; 
that  Monterey  had  been  taken  by  our  naval  forces,  and  the  flag  of  the  United 
States  there  raised  on  the  7th  of  July  ;  and  that  the  fleet  would  co-operate 
with  the  army  against  Castro  and  his  forces.  The  flag  of  Independence 
was  hauled  down,  and  that  of  the  United  States  hoisted  amidst  the  hearty 
greetings,  and  to  the  great  joy  of  the  American  settlers  and  forces  under 
the  command  of  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont. 

"The  combined  pursuit  was  rapidly  continued;  and  on  the  12th  of  Au 
gust,  Commodore  Stockton  and  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  with  a  detach 
ment  of  marines  from  the  squadron,  and  some  riflemen,  entered  the  City  of 
the  Angels  without  resistance  or  objection  ;  the  governor-general,  Pico,  the 
commandant-general,  Castro,  and  all  of  the  Mexican  authorities,  having  fled 
and  dispersed.  Commodore  Stockton  took  possession  of  the  whole  country 
as  a  conquest  of  the  United  States,  and  appointed  Lieutenant-colonel  Fre 
mont  governor,  under  the  law  of  nations  ;  to  assume  the  functions  of  that 
office  when  he  should  return  to  the  squadron." 

Lieut.  Col.  John  C.  Fremont,*  being  an  officer  of  the  United  States 
government,  and  operating  under  the  orders  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  must 
be  regarded  as  having1  acted  in  accordance  with  the  instructions  and  wishes 
of  the  government  at  Washington ;  and  the  government  could  not  evade  the 
full  responsibility  of  his  whole  proceedings,  and  their  effects  and  conse 
quences,  except  by  a  disavowal  of  his  acts,  wrhich  the  government  at  Wash 
ington  has  not  done ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  they  have  most  fully  adopted 
;and  approved  of  his  measures.  Having  done  this,  it  is  difficult  to  discover 
with  what  motive  the  Secretary  of  War  has  spread  out  in  his  report  the 
statement,  that  "  Not  an  officer  or  soldier  of  the  United  States  army  accom 
panied  him  ;"  and  that  "  his  whole  force  consisted  of  sixty-two  men,  em 
ployed  by  himself  for  security  against  Indians,  and  for  procuring  subsistence 
ia  the  wilderness  and  desert  country  through  which"  he  was  to  pass."  This 
statement,  as  an  argument,  is  specious  and  unbecoming  the  head  of  one  of 
the  chief  bureaus  of  a  great  and  powerful  nation.  The  persons  serving 
with  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont  were  as  emphatically  the  servants  of'  thfj 
United  States  government  as  those  men  who  were  regularly  enlisted  in  the 
United  States  army.  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  holding  the  commission 
of  the  President,  in  pursuance  of  the  instructions  of  the  War  Department, 
had  employed  them  to  assist  him  in  the  execution  of  the  orders  of  the 
government  at  Washington — and  the  people  are  required  to  pay  them  for 
their  services  ;  and  while  in  the  service  of  the  United  States,  whatever  may 


*  Lieut.  Col.  JOHX  C.  FIIEMOXT  is  a  graduate  from  the  Military  Academy  at  West 
Point,  and  for  several  years  past  has  held  the  post  of  lieutenant  of  topographical  engineers 
in  the  United  States  army,  and  in  the  prosecution  of  the  duties  of  that  office  he  has  made 
several  tours  across  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  the  Pacific  ocean.  He  is  the  son-in-law  of  the 
Hon.  Thomas  H.  Benton,  senator  from  the  State  of  Missouri ;  through  whose  influence  he 
was  promoted,  about  a  year  since,  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  regiment  of 
mounted  riflemen.  Though  quite  young  for  his  position  in  the  army,  he  is  accounted  a 
good  officer,  and  a  man  of  considerable  talents.  He  is  one  of  the  very  few  men  of  genius 
and  science  who  have  been  produced  at  West  Point. 

Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont  is  understood  recently  to  have  returned  to  the  United  States 
from  California,  under  an  arrest,  ordered  by  General  Kearny  on  account  of  some  disobe 
dience  of  the  general's  orders ;  the  difficulty  growing  out  of  the  misunderstanding  between 
General  Kearny  and  Captain  Stockton,  relative  to  the  government  of  the  "conquered  ter 
ritory  !"  The  trial  of  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont  (which  it  is  supposed  will  take  place 
before  the  meeting  of  Congress,  in  December  next,)  will,  no  doubt,  elicit  many  curious 
facts  which  the  people  of  the  United  States  must  be  interested  to  hear. 


22         PROCEEDINGS  OF  LIEUTENANT-COLONEL  FREMONT, 

have  been  the  terms  or  conditions  of  their  employment,  they  were  amenable 
to  and  governed  by  the  Articles  of  War,  and  entitled  to  the  immunities  of 
American  soldiers  ;  and  they  bore  the  public  arms  of  the  United  States, 
and  carried  on  their  operations  under  the  flag  of  the  Union.  The  object 
of  the  expedition  of  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont  may  be  inferred  from  its 
acts.  It  may  have  intended,  and  may  not  have  intended  services  of  a 
"scientific  character,"  as  its  intentions  are  altogether  immaterial,  its  acts  and 
measures  pursued  being  alone  to  be  investigated.  The  Secretary  of  War 
by  no  means  gives  any  unjustifiableness  to  the  conduct  of  the  Mexican 
general,  Castro,  in  attempting  to  expel  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont  and  his 
force  from  California,  by  charging  that  it  was  done  **  upon  the  pretext  that, 
under  the  cover  of  a  scientific  mission,  he  was  exciting  the  American  set 
tlers  to  revolt,"  as  what  the  Secretary  of  War  gives  information  that  Gene 
ral  Castro  charged  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont  with  intending,  the  Secretary 
also  gives  information  that  he  did  do.  According  to  the  report  of  the  Secre 
tary  of 'War,  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  with  a  force,  armed  and  paid  by 
the  United  States  government,  entered  the  territory  of  Alta  California,  a 
province  of  the  Republic  of  Mexico,  and  setting  the  Mexican  authorities 
therein  at  defiance,  seized  a  position  within  thirty  miles  of  the  principal 
town,  and  there  formed  an  intrenchment  and  hoisted  the  colours  of  the 
United  States,  on  the  7th  of  March,  1846,  thirty-two  days  before  the  encoun 
ter  of  the  Mexican  forces  under  General  Arista,  with  the  American  troops 
commanded  by  General  Taylor ;  (which  occurred  on  the  8th  of  May  of  the 
same  year ;)  and  hence,  upon  the  showing  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  the 
first  belligerent  act  in  this  war  with  Mexico,  was  executed  by  the  forces  of 
the  United  States  in  Alta  California,  and  not  by  our  troops  at  the  meeting 
of  General  Taylor  with  General  Arista  at  Palo  Alto,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Rio  Grande  del  Norte.  The  subsequent  determination  of  Lieutenant-colo 
nel  Fremont,  in  the  language  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  «*  not  merely  to 
defeat  General  Castro,"  but  to  totally  "  overthrow  the  Mexican  authority  in 
California,  and  to  establish  an  independent  government  in  that  extensive 
department,"  does  not  vary  the  first  act  of  aggression,  which  was  executed 
by  an  officer  of  the  United  States  army  under  the  national  flag ;  and  the 
war  which  was  prosecuted  by  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  in  the  gallant 
manner  described  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  was  but  a  continuation  of  the 
aggression  commenced  on  the  7th  of  March,  and  must  be  regarded  as  a 
part  of  that  transaction.  The  suggestion  that  the  Californians  had  declared 
their  independence  on  the  5th  of  July,  and  that  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont 
had  acted  as  the  chief  of  a  revolutionary  party,  and  had  fought  under  a 
revolutionary  flag,  will  only  increase  the  dilemma  of  those  who  contend  that 
this  war  was  begun  by  Mexico ;  because,  while  acting  under  the  commis 
sion  of  the  President,  and  receiving  pay,  according  to  his  commission,  from 
the  people  of  the  United  States,  he  could  not  act  under  any  other  authority 
than  that  of  the  government  at  Washington,  or  fight  under  any  other  flag, 
except  that  of  the  Union,  without  rendering  himself  subject  to  charges  for 
a  high  offence ;  and  if  he  carried  on  war  for  the  United  States,  under  a 
flag  different  from  that  of  the  Union,  he  committed  an  indignity  upon  the 
flag  of  the  nation ;  and  if  he  made  war  upon  his  own  account,  he  made 
himself  an  outlaw,  and  as  such  should  have  been  adjudged  and  condemned. 
But  the  Secretary  of  War  saves  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont  from  all  ac 
countability  or  blame,  by  assuming  his  acts  as  the  acts  of  the  government 
at  Washington,  and  applauding  his  whole  course  of  conduct ;  and  by  this 
he  assumes  the  responsibility  of  having  commenced,  by  open  acts  of  aggres 
sion  committed  upon  unquestionable  territories  of  Mexico,  as  well  by  acts 


REPORT  OF  CAPTAIN  SLOAT.  23 

of  incitement,  the  existing  war  with  Mexico  ;  and  gives  an  open  and  full 
contradiction  to  the  averments  made  by  the  President  in  his  annual  message 
to  Congress,  in  1846 ;  that,  "Every  honourable  effort  had  been  used  by 
him  to  avoid  the  war  which  followed,  (his  attempt  to  negotiate — not  for 
peace — but,  for  the  surrender  of  the  Californias,  Sonora,  and  New  Mexico,) 
but  all  had  proved  in  vain." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Report  of  Captain  Skat — His  Proclamations — California  Volunteers,  #c. 

THE  manner  in  which  the  designs  of  the  government  at  Washington 
have  been  carried  out  in  Alta  California  by  the  United  States  military  and 
naval  commanders,  to  whom  the  business  of  seizing  the  territory  had  been 
confided,  is  fully  exemplified  by  the  following  copy  of  a  communication  to 
the  government  from  Capt.  John  D.  Sloat,*  late  in  the  command  of  the 
United  States  naval  forces  on  the  coast  of  California,  embracing,  with  the 
papers  annexed,  a  report  of  his  proceedings  ;  the  originals  of  which  were 
addressed  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  and  the  copies  furnished  by  the 
President  to  Congress : 

FLAG  SHIP  LEVANT,  AT  SEA,  July  31,  1846. 

Sia, — I  have  the  honour  to  report,  that  on  the  7th  of  June  I  received,  at  Mazatlan,  infor 
mation  that  the  Mexican  troops,  six  or  seven  thousand  strong,  had  by  order  of  the  Mexi 
can  government  invaded  the  territory  of  the  United  States  north  of  the  Rio  Grande, 
and  attacked  the  forces  under  General  Taylor,  and  that  the  squadron  of  the  United  States 
were  blockading  the  coast  of  Mexico  on  the  Gulf. 

These  hostilities  I  considered  would  justify  my  commencing  offensive  operations  on  the 
west  coast ;  I  therefore  sailed  on  the  8th,  in  the  Savannah,  for  the  coast  of  California,  to 
carry  out  the  orders  of  the  Department  of  the  24th  of  June,  1845,  leaving  the  Warren  at 
Mazatlan,  to  bring  me  any  despatches  or  important  information  that  might  reach  there.  I 
arrived  at  Monterey  on  the  2d  of  July,  where  I  found  the  Cyane  and  the  Levant,  and 
learned  that  the  Portsmouth  was  at  San  Francisco,  to  which  place  they  had  been  previously 
ordered,  to  await  further  instructions. 

On  the  morning  of  the  7th,  having  previously  examined  the  defences  and  localities  of 
the  town,  I  sent  Captain  Mervine,  with  the  accompanying  summons  (A.),  to  the  military 
commandant  of  Monterey,  requiring  him  to  surrender  the  place  forthwith  to  the  forces  of 
tne  United  States  under  my  command.  At  9  o'clock,  A.  M.,  I  received  his  repIy(B), 
stating  that  he  was  not  authorized  to  surrender  the  place,  and  referred  me  to  the  command 
ing  general  of  California,  Don  Jose  Castro. 

Every  arrangement  having  been  made  the  day  previous,  the  necessary  force  (about  250 
seamen  and  marines)  was  immediately  embarked  in  the  boats  of  the  squadron,  and  landed 
at  ten  o'clock,  under  cover  of  the  guns  of  the  ships,  with  great  promptitude  and  good  order, 
under  the  immediate  command  of  Captain  William  Mervine,  assisted  by  Commander  H.  N. 
Page,  as  second. 

*  Capt.  JOHN  D.  SLOAT,  previous  to  the  commencement  of  the  last  war  with  Great 
Britain,  carried  on  the  business  of  a  watch-maker  and  watch-repairer,  in  the  city  of  New 
York.  Shortly  after  the  commencement  of  the  war,  he  gave  up  his  business  as  a  watch 
maker,  and  took  to  the  sea  as  a  privateer' s-man ;  and  before  the  close  of  the  war,  he 
obtained  an  appointment  as  a  midshipman  in  the  United  States  navy,  and  obtaining  leave 
for  an  immediate  examination,  he  passed  the  ordeal  successfully,  and  was  soon  after  pro 
moted  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant.  He  is  now  a  post-captain  of  fifteen  or  sixteen  years' 
standing — and  is  reputed  a  good  watch-maker.  He  is  understood  to  be  a  native  of 
Berkshire  county,  Massachusetts,  and  is  now,  probably,  about  sixty  years  of  age. 


24  CAPTAIN  SLOAT'S  PROCLAMATIONS. 

The  forces  were  immediately  formed  and  marched  to  the  custom-house,  where  my  pro 
clamation  to  the  inhabitants  of  California  (C)  was  read,  the  standard  of  the  United  States 
hoisted  amid  three  hearty  cheers  of  the  troops  and  foreigners  present,  and  a  salute  of  twenty- 
one  guns  fired  by  all  the  ships.  Immediately  afterwards,  the  proclamation,  both  in  English 
and  Spanish,  was  posted  up  about  the  town,  and  two  justices  of  the  peace  appointed  to 
preserve  orJer  and  punish  delinquencies,  the  alcaldes  declining  to  serve. 

Previous  to  landing,  the  accompanying  general  order  (D)  was  read  to  the  crews  of  all 
the  ships,  and  I  am  most  happy  to  state  that  I  feel  confident  that  the  inhabitants  of  Monte 
rey,  and  of  all  other  places  where  our  forces  have  appeared,  will  do  them  and  myself  the 
justice  to  say  that  not  the  least  depredation  or  slightest  insult  or  irregularity  has  been  com 
mitted  from  the  moment  of  our  landing  until  my  departure. 

Immediately  after  taking  possession  of  Monterey,  I  despatched  a  courier  to  General  Castro, 
the  military  commandant  of  California,  with  a  letter  (E),  and  a  copy  of  my  proclamation, 
to  which  I  received  a  reply  (F).  On  the  9th,  I  despatched  a  letter  (G),  by  courier,  to 
Seiior  Don  Pico,  the  governor,  at  Santa  Barbara.  On  the  16th  of  July,  I  despatched  orders 
by  sea,  to  Commander  Montgomery,  to  take  immediate  possession  of  the  Bay  of  San  Fran 
cisco,  &c.,  and  on  the  7th,  a  duplicate  of  that  order,  by  land,  which  he  received  on  the 
evening  of  the  8th;  and  at  7  o'clock,  A.  M.,  of  the  9th,  he  hoisted  the  flag  at  San  Fran 
cisco,  read  and  posted  up  my  proclamation,  and  took  possession  of  that  part  of  the  country 
in  the  name  of  the  United  States. 

On  the  23d,  my  health  being  such  as  to  prevent  my  attending  to  so  much  and  so  labo 
rious  duties,  I  directed  Commodore  Stockton  to  assume  the  command  of  the  forces  and 
operations  on  shore ;  and  on  the  29th,  having  determined  to  return  to  the  United  States  via 
Panama,  I  hoisted  my  broad  pennant  on  board  of  the  Levant,  and  sailed  for  Mazatlan  and 
Panama,  leaving  the  remainder  of  the  squadron  under  his  command,  believing  that  no  fur 
ther  opposition  would  be  made  to  our  taking  possession  of  the  whole  of  the  Californias,  (aa 
General  Castro  had  less  than  100  men,)  and  that  I  could  render  much  more  important  ser 
vice  by  returning  to  the  United  States  with  the  least  possible  delay,  to  explain  to  the 
government  the  situation  and  wants  of  that  country,  than  I  could  by  remaining  in  command 
in  my  infirm  state  of  health. 

Hoping  the  course  I  have  pursued  will  meet  the  approbation  of  the  department,  I  have 
the  honour  to  be,  most  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  &C., 

JOHN  D.  SLOAT. 

Hon.  GEORGE  BANCROFT,  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  Washington,  Z).  C. 

(A) — Addressed  to  "the  military  commandant  at  Monterey,"  under  date, 
"  July  7,  1846,"  and  signed  "  John  D.  Sloat,  Commander-in-chief  of  the 
United  States  naval  forces  in  the  Pacific." 

SIR, — The  central  government  of  Mexico  having  commenced  hostilities  against  the  United 
States  of  America,  the  two  nations  are  now  actually  at  war.  In  consequence,  I  call  upon 
you,  in  the  name  of  the  United  States  of  America,  to  surrender  forthwith  to  the  arms  of 
that  nation  under  my  command,  the  forts,  military  posts,  and  stations,  under  your  com 
mand,  together  with  all  troops,  arms,  munitions  of  war,  and  public  property  of  every 
description  under  your  control  and  jurisdiction  in  California. 

(B) — Translation  of  the  reply  of  the  military  commandant  of  Monterey,  under 

date  of  July  7, 1846,  signed  "  Mariana  Silva." 

The  undersigned,  captain  of  artillery  in  the  Mexican  army,  and  military  commandant  of 
this  port,  represents  to  Seiior  Commodore  of  the  naval  forces  of  the  United  States  in  this* 
bay,  that  he  is  not  authorized  to  surrender  the  place,  having  no  orders  to  that  effect ;  for 
the  said  matter  may  be  arranged  by  the  Seiior  Commodore  with  the  commandant  general, 
to  whom  I  transmitted  the  communication  delivered  to  me  for  the  said  Seiior,  the  under 
signed  withdrawing  and  leaving  the  town  peaceful  and  without  a  soWier ;  nor,  according 
to  information  from  the  treasurer,  is  there  any  public  property  or  munitions. 

(C) — Proclamation  of  John  D.    Sloat,  commander-in-chief  of  the   United 

States  naval  force  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  made  July  7,  1846. 
To  THE  INHABITANTS  OF  CALIFORNIA  : — The  central  government  of  Mexico  having 
commenced  hostilities  against  the  United  States  of  America,  by  invading  its  territory  and 


CAPTAIN  SLOAT'S  PROCLAMATIONS.  25 

attacking  the  troops  of  the  United  States  stationed  on  the  north  side  of  the  Rio  Grande, 
and  with  a  force  of  7,000  men  under  the  command  of  Gen.  Arista,  which  army  was  totally 
destroyed,  and  all  their  baggage,  artillery,  &c.,  captured  on  the  8th  and  9th  of  May  last,  by 
a  force  of  two  thousand  three  hundred  men  under  the  command  of  General  Taylor,  and 
the  city  of  Matamoras  taken  and  occupied  by  the  forces  of  the  United  States,  and  the  two 
nations  being  actually  at  war  by  this  transaction,  I  shall  hoist  the  standard  of  the  United 
States  at  Monterey,  immediately,  and  shall  carry  it  through  California. 

I  declare  to  the  inhabitants  of  California  that,  although  I  come  in  arms  with  a  power 
ful  force,  I  do  not  come  among  them  as  an  enemy  to  California :  on  the  contrary,  I 
come  as  their  best  friend,  as  henceforward  California  will  be  a  portion  of  the  United 
States,  and  its  peaceable  inhabitants  will  enjoy  the  same  rights  and  privileges  they  now 
enjoy,  together  with  the  privilege  of  choosing  their  own  magistrates  and  other  officers, 
for  the  administration  of  justice  among  themselves,  and  the  same  protection  will  be 
extended  to  them  as  to  any  other  State  in  the  Union.  They  will  also  enjoy  a  permanent 
government,  under  which  life,  property,  and  the  constitutional  right  and  lawful  security  to  wor 
ship  the  Creator  in  the  way  most  congenial  to  each  one's  sense  of  duty,  will  be  secured, 
which,  unfortunately,  the  central  government  of  Mexico  cannot  afford  them,  destroyed  as  her 
resources  are  by  internal  factions,  and  corrupt  officers,  who  create  constant  revolutions  to 
promote  their  own  interests  and  oppress  the  people.  Under  the  flag  of  the  United  States, 
California  will  be  free  from  all  such  troubles  and  expense ;  consequently,  the  country  will 
rapidly  advance  and  improve  both  in  agriculture  and  commerce,  as,  of  course,  the  revenue 
laws  will  be  the  same  in  California  as  in  all  other  parts  of  the  United  States,  affording  them 
all  manufactures  and  produce  of  the  United  States  free  of  any  duty,  and  all  foreign  goods 
at  one-quarter  of  the  duty  they  now  pay.  A  great  increase  in  the  value  of  real  estate  and 
the  products  of  California  may  also  be  anticipated. 

With  the  great  interest  and  kind  feelings  I  know  the  government  and  people  of  the 
United  States  possess  towards  the  citizens  of  California,  the  country  cannot  but  improve 
more  rapidly  than  any  other  on  the  continent  of  America. 

Such  of  the  inhabitants  of  California,  whether  native  or  foreigners,  as  may  not  be  dis 
posed  to  accept  the  high  privileges  of  citizenship,  and  to  live  peaceably  under  the  govern 
ment  of  the  United  States,  will  be  allowed  time  to  dispose  of  their  property,  and  to  remove 
out  of  the  country,  if  they  choose,  without  any  restriction ;  or  remain  in  it,  observing  strict 
neutrality. 

With  full  confidence  in  the  honour  and  integrity  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  country,  I 
invite  the  judges,  alcaldes,  and  other  civil  officers,  to  retain  their  offices,  and  to  execute  their 
functions  as  heretofore,  that  the  public  tranquillity  may  not  be  disturbed ;  at  least,  until  the 
government  of  the  territory  can  be  more  definitely  arranged. 

All  persons  holding  titles  to  real  estate,  or  in  quiet  possession  of  lands  under  a  colour  of 
right,  shall  have  those  titles  and  rights  guarantied  to  them. 

All  churches,  and  the  property  they  contain,  in  possession  of  the  clergy  of  California, 
shall  continue  in  the  same  rights  and  possessions  they  now  enjoy. 

All  provisions  and  supplies  of  every  kind  furnished  by  the  inhabitants  for  the  use  of  the 
United  States'  ships  and  soldiers  will  be  paid  for  at  fair  rates ;  and  no  private  property  will 
be  taken  for  public  use  without  just  compensation  at  the  moment. 

(D)— "General  Order,"  dated  "Flag  Ship  Savannah,  July  7,  1846,"  and 
signed  "John  D.  Sloat,  commander-in-chief  of  the  United  States  naval 
forces  in  the  Pacific  Ocean." 

We  are  about  to  land  on  the  territory  of  Mexico,  with  whom  the  United  States  are  at 
war.  To  strike  her  flag,  and  to  hoist  our  own  in  the  place  of  it,  is  our  duty. 

It  is  not  only  our  duty  to  take  California,  but  to  preserve  it  afterwards  as  a  part  of  the 
United  States,  at  all  hazards.  To  accomplish  this,  it  is  of  the  first  importance  to  cultivate 
the  good  opinion  of  the  inhabitants,  whom  we  must  reconcile. 

I  scarcely  consider  it  necessary  for  me  to  caution  American  seamen  and  marines  against 
the  detestable  crime  of  plundering  and  maltreating  unoffending  inhabitants. 

That  no  one  may  misunderstand  his  duty,  the  following  regulations  must  be  strictly 
adhered  to,  as  no  violation  can  hope  to  escape  the  severest  punishment : 

1st.  On  landing,  no  man  is  to  leave  the  shore  until  the  commanding  officer  gives  the 
0rder  to  march. 

4  C 


26  CAPTAIN  SLOAT'S   PROCLAMATIONS. 

2d.  No  gun  is  to  be  fired,  or  other  act  of  hostility  committed,  without  express  orders 
from  the  officer  commanding  the  party. 

3d.  The  officers  and  boat  keepers  will  keep  their  respective  boats  as  close  to  the  shore 
as  they  will  safely  float,  taking  care  they  do  not  lay  aground,  and  remain  in  them,  prepared 
to  defend  themselves  against  attack,  and  attentively  watch  for  signals  from  the  ships,  as 
well  as  from  the  party  on  shore. 

4th.  No  man  is  to  quit  the  ranks  or  to  enter  any  house  for  any  pretext  whatever,  with 
out  express  orders  from  an  officer.  Let  every  man  avoid  insult  or  offence  to  any  unof 
fending  inhabitant,  and  especially  avoid  that  eternal  disgrace  which  would  attach  to  our 
names  and  our  country's  name  by  indignity  offered  to  a  single  female,  even  let  her  stand 
ing  be  however  low  it  may. 

5th.  Plunder  of  every  kind  is  strictly  forbidden.  Not  only  does  the  plundering  of  the 
smallest  article  from  a  prize,  forfeit  all  claim  to  prize  money,  but  the  offender  must  expect 
to  be  severely  punished. 

6th.  Finally,  let  me  entreat  you,  one  and  all,  not  to  tarnish  our  hope  of  bright  success 
by  an  act  that  we  shall  be  ashamed  to  acknowledge  before  God  and  our  country. 

(E) — Same  as  (A)  with  an  additional  paragraph,  as  follows : 

I  hereby  invite  you  to  meet  me  immediately  in  Monterey,  to  enter  into  articles  of  capitu 
lation,  that  yourself,  officers,  and  soldiers,  with  the  inhabitants  of  California,  may  receive 
assurances  of  perfect  safety  to  themselves  and  property. 

(Signed)  JOHN  D.  SLOAT, 

Commander-in-chief  of  the  V.  S.  Naval  forces  in  the  Pacific  Ocean. 
To  Senor  Don  JOSE  CASTRO,  Commandant-general,  California. 

(F) — Translation  of  the  reply  of  the  Commandant-general  of  the  Department 
of  California,  under  date  of  "  San  Juan  de  Bautista,  July  9,  1846,"  and 
signed  "  Jose  Castro :" 

The  undersigned,  Commandant-general  of  Upper  California,  has  the  honour  to  repre 
sent  to  the  Senor  Commander-in-chief  of  the  naval  forces  of  the  United  States  in  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  now  in  Monterey,  that  a  band  of  adventurers,  headed  by  Mr.  J.  C.  Fre 
mont,  a  captain  in  the  army  of  the  United  States,  forcibly  took  possession  of  the  port  of 
>nno«a,  hoisting  an  unknown  flag,  making  prisoners  of  the  chiefs  and  officers  who  were 
there,  and  committing  assassinations  and  every  kind  of  injury  to  the  lives  and  property 
of  the  inhabitants  there.  The  undersigned  is  ignorant  to  what  government  the  invaders 
of  that  part  of  the  department  belong,  and  a  party  of  them  who  are  in  the  neighbour 
hood  of  Santa  Clara;  and  as  he  cannot  believe  that  they  belong  to  the  forces  com 
manded  by  the  said  Senor  Commodore,  he  will  be  obliged  to  him  if  he  will  please  to 
make  him  an  explanation  on  this  subject,  in  order  that  he  may  act  in  conformity  with 
his  reply,  for  neither  the  undersigned  nor  a  single  citizen  of  the  country  will  permit 
excess  of  any  kind  to  be  committed  by  these  bands. 

(G) — Note  to  Sr.  Don  Pio  Pico,  Angelos,  under  date  "  Flag  Ship  Savan 
nah,  Bay  of  Monterey,  July  9,  1846;"  and  signed  "John  D.  Sloat, 
Commander-in-chief  of  the  United  States  naval  forces,  in  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  and  of  the  Territory  of  California." 

[First  paragraph  notices  enclosures,  and  announces  the  seizure  of  Mon 
terey.] 

I  beg  your  excellency  to  feel  assured  that  although  I  come  in  arms  with  a  powerful 
force,  I  come  as  the  best  friend  of  California ;  and  I  invite  your  excellency  to  meet  me 
at  Monterey,  that  I  may  satisfy  you  and  the  people  of  California  of  the  fact. 

I  pledge  the  word  and  honour  of  an  American  officer,  that  your  excellency  will  be  re 
ceived  with  all  the  respect  due  to  your  distinguished  situation ;  and  you  can  depart  at  any 
moment  you  may  think  proper,  and  feel  every  confidence  that  an  American  officer  expects 
when  his  word  of  honour  is  pledged. 

I  have  already  employed  all  the  means  in  my  power  to  stop  the  sacrifice  of  human  life 
by  the  party  in  the  north,  and  I  trust  I  shall  succeed,  provided  there  is  no  further  oppo 
sition. 


CAPTAIN  STOCKTON'S  COMMUNICATIONS.  27 

"  The  party  in  the  north,"  alluded  to  by  Captain  Sloat,  in  the  closing 
paragraph  of  his  note  to  Sr.  Pico,  of  which  the  preceding  is  a  copy,  was 
the  command  of  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  who  had  commenced  his  belli 
gerent  operations  in  Alta  California,  on  the  7th  of  March,  1846,  and  had 
subsequently  carried  them  on,  aided  by  stragglers  and  renegades  from  the 
United  States,  and  the  north  of  Europe,  who  had  been  induced  to  take  up 
arms,  not  from  any  motive  of  patriotism,  but  with  a  desire  to  drive  out  and 
destroy  the  Mexican  settlers,  as  did  the  wandering  tribes  of  Israel  the 
Canaanites,  that  they  might  possess  their  herds  and  their  lands ;  and  for 
the  little  service  of  murder  and  rapine  which  these  people  were  pleased  to 
perform  in  furtherance  of  their  own  selfish  purposes,  as  well  as  the  designs 
of  the  government  at  Washington,  they  were  phased  to  demand  of  the 
people  of  the  United  States  only  the  moderate  sum  of  $50,000 ;  [see  note 
from  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  published  by  Colonel  Benton  ;]  exclusive 
of  the  pay  of  their  commander ;  and  to  enable  them  to  abstract  thus  much 
of  the  people's  money  from  the  public  treasury,  General  Kearny  was  di 
rected  by  General  Scott,  commander-in-chief  of  the  United  States  army,  to 
muster  them  retrospectively 'into  the  United  States  service,  as  volunteers  under 
the  act  of  the  13th  of  May,  1846,  with  an  understanding  that  they  should 
be  discharged  at  any  time  they  might  signify  a  wish  to  that  effect.  By  the 
payment  of  these  men,  the  government  at  Washington  adopt  the  entire  of 
the  aggressions  commenced  in  Alta  California,  by  Lieutenant-colonel  Fre 
mont,  on  the  7th  of  March  ;  and  whatever  may  have  been  the  private  in 
structions  given  to  him  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  his  acts  stand  confirmed 
as  the  acts  of  the  government  at  Washington. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Captain  Stockton's  communication  to  the  Government  at  Washington — His  Proclamation  to 
the  People  of  Jllta  California. — His  Ordinance — Government,  fyc. 

IN  the  following  copy  of  a  communication  from  Capt.  Robert  F.  Stockton,* 
who  succeeded  Captain  Sloat  in  command,  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
will  be  found  a  detail  of  his  initiatory  step  to  induct  the  Mexican  people  in 
Alta  California  into  a  system  of  free  government,  (which,  with  the  paper 
accompanying  the  same,  were  communicated  to  Congress  by  the  President,) 
and  give  to  the  reader  another  passage  of  history  : 

CUIDAD  DE  LOS  AXGELOS,  August  28,  1846. 

SIR, — You  have  already  been  informed  of  my  having,  on  the  23d  of  July,  assumed  the 
command  of  the  United  States  forces  on  the  west  coast  of  Mexico.  I  have  now  the  honour 
to  inform  you  that  the  flag  of  the  United  States  is  flying  from  every  commanding  position 
in  the  territory  of  California,  and  that  this  rich  and  beautiful  country  belongs  to  the 
United  States,  and  is  forever  free  from  Mexican  dominion. 

On  the  day  after  I  took  this  command,  I  organized  the  "  California  battalion  of  mounted 
riflemen,"  by  the  appointment  of  all  the  necessary  officers,  and  received  them  as  volun 
teers  into  the  service  of  the  United  States.  Captain  Fremont  was  appointed  major,  and 
Lieutenant  Gillespie  captain  of  the  battalion. 

The  next  day  they  were  embarked  on  board  the  sloop-of-war  Cyane,  Commander  Du- 

*  Capt.  ROBERT  F.  STOCKTON  is  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  and  is  a  post-captain  of  some 
few  years'  standing.  In  manners  he  is  pompous  ;  but,  nevertheless,  is  accounted  a  good 
officer ;  and  among  the  few  officers  of  the  navy  who  are  such,  he  is  a  politician.  During 
Mr.  Tyler's  administration  he  had  the  command  of  the  U.  S.  steamer  Princeton,  and  ef 
fected  the  bad  omen  of  bursting  "  the  peace-maker" — to  the  destruction  of  the  lives  of  several 
eminent  citizens. 


28  CAPTAIN  STOCKTON'S  COMMUNICATIONS. 

pont,  and  sailed  from  Monterey  for  San  Diego,  that  they  might  be  landed  to  the  south 
ward  of  the  Mexican  forces,  amounting  to  500  men,  under  General  Castro  and  Governor 
Pico,  and  who  were  well  fortified  at  the  "  Camp  of  the  Mesa,"  three  miles  from  this  city. 

A  few  days  jfter  the  Cyane  left,  I  sailed  in  the  Congress  for  San  Pedro,  the  port  of  entry 
for  this  department,  and  thirty  miles  from  this  place,  where  I  landed  with  my  gallant  sailor 
army,  and  marched  directly  for  the  redoubtable  «  Camp  of  the  Mesa." 

But  when  we  arrived  within  twelve  miles  of  the  camp,  General  Castro  broke  ground  and 
ran  for  the  city  of  Mexico.  The  governor  of  the  territory,  and  the  other  principal  officers, 
.separated  in  different  parties,  and  ran  away  in  different  directions. 

Unfortunately,  the  mounted  riflemen  did  not  get  up  in  time  to  head  them  off.  We  have 
since,  however,  taken  most  of  the  principal  officers :  the  rest  will  be  permitted  to  remain 
quiet  at  home,  under  the  restrictions  contained  in  my  proclamation  of  the  17th. 

On  the  13th  of  August,  having  been  joined  by  Major  Fremont  with  about  eighty  rifle 
men,  and  Mr.  Larkin,  late  American  consul,  we  entered  this  famous  «  City  of  the  Angels," 
the  capital  of  the  Californias,  and  took  unmolested  possession  of  the  government-house. 

Thus,  in  less  than  a  month  after  I  assumed  the  command  of  the  United  States  force  in 
California,  we  have  chased  the  Mexican  army  more  than  three  hundred  miles  along  the 
coast ;  pursued  them  thirty  miles  in  the  interior  of  their  own  country ;  routed  and  dis 
persed  them,  and  secured  the  territory  to  the  United  States ;  ended  the  war ;  restored 
peace  and  harmony  among  the  people ;  and  put  a  civil  government  into  successful  operation. 

The  Warren  and  Cyane  sailed  a  few  days  since  to  blockade  the  west  coast  of  Mexico, 
south  of  San  Diego ;  and  having  almost  finished  my  work  here,  I  will  sail  in  the  Congress 
as  soon  as  the  store-ship  arrives,  and  I  can  get  supplied  with  provisions,  on  a  cruise  for 
the  protection  of  our  commerce ;  and  dispose  of  the  other  vessels  as  most  effectually  to 
attain  that  object,  and  at  the  same  time  to  keep  the  southern  coast  strictly  blockaded. 

When  I  leave  the  territory,  I  will  appoint  Major  Fremont  to  be  governor,  and  Lieutenant 
Gillespie  to  be  secretary. 

I  enclose  you  several  papers,  marked  from  one  to  fourteen  inclusive,  including  this  letter, 
and  the  first  number  of  the  "  Californian,"  by  which  you  will  see  what  sort  of  a  govern 
ment  I  have  established,  and  how  I  am  proceeding. 

I  have  not  time  to  specify  individual  merit ;  but  I  cannot  omit  to  say,  that  I  do  not  think 
that  ardent  patriotism  and  indomitable  courage  have  ever  been  more  evident  than  amongst 
the  officers  and  men,  360  in  number,  from  the  frigate  Congress,  who  accompanied  me  on 
this  trying  and  hazardous  march ;  a  longer  march,  perhaps,  than  has  ever  been  made  in 
the  interior  of  a  country  by  sailors,  after  an  enemy.  I  would  likewise  say,  that  the  conduct 
of  the  officers  and  men  of  the  whole  squadron  has  been  praiseworthy. 

I  have  received  your  despatch  of  the  13th  of  May,  and  at  the  same  time  a  Mexican  ac 
count  of  the  proceedings  of  Congress,  and  the  President's  proclamation,  by  the  United 
States  ship  Warren,  from  Mazatlan. 

Faithfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

ROBERT  F.  STOCKTON. 

To  the  Hon.  GEORGE  BANCROFT, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy,  Washington,  D.  C. 

No.  1.  [Accompanying  document.] — Proclamation  of  Commodore  Stockton, 
made  on  the  17th  of  August,  1846,  "to  the  people  of  California." 

On  my  approach  to  this  place  with  the  forces  under  my  command,  Jos6  Castro,  the  com 
mandant-general  of  California,  buried  his  artillery  and  abandoned  his  fortified  camp  "  of 
the  Mesa,"  and  fled,  it  is  believed,  towards  Mexico. 

With  the  sailors,  the  marines,  and  the  California  battalion  of  mounted  riflemen,  we  en 
tered  the  "  City  of  the  Angels,"  the  capital  of  California,  on  the  13th  of  August,  and 
hoisted  the  North  American  flag. 

The  flag  of  the  United  States  is  now  flying  from  every  commanding  position  in  the  ter 
ritory,  and  California  is  entirely  free  from  Mexican  dominion. 

The  territory  of  California  now  belongs  to  the  United  States,  and  will  be  governed,  as 
soon  as  circumstances  will  permit,  by  officers  and  laws  similar  to  those  by  which  the  other 
territories  of  the  United  States  are  regulated  and  protected. 

But,  until  the  governor,  the  secretary,  and  council  are  appointed,  and  the  various  civil 
departments  of  the  government  are  arranged,  military  law  will  prevail,  and  the  commander- 
in-chief  will  be  the  governor  and  protector  of  the  territory. 

fn  the  mean  lime  the  people  will  be  permitted,  and  are  now  requested,  to  meet  in  their 


CAPTAIN  STOCKTON'S  COMMUNICATIONS.  29 

several  towns  and  departments,  at  such  time  and  place  as  they  may  see  fit,  to  elect  civil 
officers  to  fill  the  places  of  those  who  decline  to  continue  in  office,  and  to  administer  the 
laws  according  to  the  former  usages  of  the  territory.  In  all  cases  where  the  people  fail  to 
elect,  the  commander-in-chief  and  governor  will  make  the  appointment  himself. 

All  persons,  of  whatever  religion  or  nation,  who  faithfully  adhere  to  the  new  government, 
will  be  considered  as  citizens  of  the  territory,  and  will  be  zealously  and  thoroughly  protected 
in  the  liberty  of  conscience,  their  persons,  and  property. 

No  persons  will  be  permitted  to  remain  in  the  territory  who  do  not  agree  to  support  the 
existing  government ;  and  all  military  men  who  desire  to  remain  are  required  to  take  an 
oath  that  they  will  not  take  up  arms  against  it,  or  do  or  say  any  thing  to  disturb  its 
peace. 

Nor  will  any  persons,  come  from  where  they  may,  be  permitted  to  settle  in  the  territory, 
who  do  not  pledge  themselves  to  be,  in  all  respects,  obedient  to  the  laws  which  may  be  from 
time  to  time  enacted  by  the  proper  authorities  of  the  territory. 

All  persons  who,  without  special  permission,  are  found  with  arms  outside  of  their  own 
houses,  will  be  considered  as  enemies,  and  will  be  shipped  out  of  the  country. 

All  thieves  will  be  put  to  hard  labour  on  the  public  works,  and  there  kept  until  compen 
sation  is  made  for  the  property  stolen. 

The  California  battalion  of  mounted  riflemen  will  be  kept  in  the  service  of  the  territory, 
and  constantly  on  duty,  to  prevent  and  punish  any  aggressions  by  the  Indians,  or  any  other 
persons,  upon  the  property  of  individuals,  or  the  peace  of  the  territory ;  and  California  shall 
hereafter  be  so  governed  and  defended  as  to  give  security  to  the  inhabitants,  and  to  defy  the 
power  of  Mexico. 

All  persons  are  required,  as  long  as  the  territory  is  under  martial  law,  to  be  within  their 
houses  from  ten  o'clock  at  night  until  sunrise  in  the  morning. 

ROBERT  F.  STOCKTON, 
Commander-in-chief  and  Governor  of  the  Territory  of  California. 

No*  2.- — Ordinance  of  Commodore  Stockton. 

I,  Robert  F.  Stockton,  Commander-in-chief  of  the  United  States  forces  in  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  and  governor  of  the  territory  of  California,  and  commander-in-chief  of  the  army  of 
the  same,  do  hereby  make  known  to  all  men,  that  having,  by  right  of  conquest,  taken  pos 
session  of  that  territory  known  by  the  name  of  Upper  and  Lower  California,  do  now 
declare  it  to  be  a  territory  of  the  United  States,  under  the  name  of  the  territory  of 
California. 

And  I  do,  by  these  presents,  further  order  and  decree,  that  the  government  of  the  said 
territory  of  California  shall  be,  until  altered  by  the  proper  authority  of  the  United  States, 
constituted  in  manner  and  form  as  follows ;  that  is  to  say  : 

The  executive  power  and  authority  in  and  over  the  said  territory  shall  be  vested  in  a 
governor,  who  shall  hold  his  office  for  four  years,  unless  sooner  removed  by  the  President 
of  the  United  States.  The  governor  shall  reside  within  the  said  territory ;  shall  be  com 
mander-in-chief  of  the  army  thereof}  shall  perform  the  duties  and  receive  the  emoluments 
of  superintendent  of  Indian  affairs,  and  shall  approve  of  all  laws  passed  by  the  legislative 
council  before  they  shall  take  effect.  He  may  grant  pardons  for  offences  against  the  laws 
of  the  said  territory,  and  reprieves  for  offences  against  the  laws  of  the  United  States,  until 
the  decision  of  the  President  can  be  made  known  thereon:  he  shall  commission  all  officers 
who  shall  be  appointed  to  office  under  the  laws  of  the  said  territory,  and  shall  take  care 
that  the  laws  be  faithfully  executed. 

There  shall  be  a  secretary  of  the  said  territory,  who  shall  reside  therein  and  hold  his 
office  for  four  years,  unless  sooner  removed  by  the  President  of  the  United  States.  He 
shall  record  and  preserve  all  the  laws  and  proceedings  of  the  legislative  council  hereinafter 
constituted,  and  all  the  acts  and  proceedings  of  the  governor  in  his  executive  department. 
He  shall  transmit  one  copy  of  the  laws  and  one  copy  of  the  executive  proceedings,  on  or 
before  the  first  Monday  in  December  in  each  year,  to  the  President  of  the  United  States ; 
and,  at  the  same  time,  two  copies  of  the  laws  to  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representa 
tives,  for  the  use  of  Congress.  And  in  case  of  the  death,  removal,  resignation,  or  necessary 
absence  of  the  governor  from  the  territory,  the  secretary  shall  have,  and  he  is  hereby  author 
ized  and  required  to  execute  and  perform  all  the  powers  and  duties  of  the  governor  during 
such  vacancy  or  necessary  absence. 

The  legislative  power  shall  be  vested  in  the  governor  and  legislative  council.     The  legis- 


30  SECRETARY  BANCROFT'S  INSTRUCTIONS. 

lative  council  shall  consist  of  seven  persons,  who  shall  be  appointed  by  the  governor  for  cwo 
years;  after  which  they  shall  be  annually  elected  by  the  people. 

The  power  of  the  legislative  council  of  the  territory  shall  extend  to  all  rightful  subjects 
of  legislation ;  but  no  law  shall  be  passed  interfering  with  the  primary  disposal  of  the  soil ; 
no  tax  shall  be  imposed  upon  the  property  of  the  United  States ;  nor  shall  the  land  or 
property  of  non-residents  be  taxed  higher  than  the  lands  or  other  property  of  residents. 

All  the  laws  of  the  legislative  council  shall  be  submitted  to,  and  if  disapproved  by  the 
governor,  the  same  shall  be  null  and  of  no  effect. 

The  municipal  officers  of  cities,  towns,  departments,  or  districts,  heretofore  existing  in 
the  territory,  shall  continue  to  exist,  and  all  their  proceedings  be  regulated  and  controlled 
by  the  laws  of  Mexico,  until  otherwise  provided  for  by  the  governor  and  legislative  council. 

All  officers  of  cities,  towns,  departments,  or  districts,  shall  be  elected  every  year  by  the 
people,  in  such  manner  as  may  be  provided  by  the  governor  and  legislative  council. 

The  legislative  council  of  the  territory  of  California  shall  hold  its  first  session  at  such 
time  and  place  in  said  territory  as  the  governor  thereof  shall  appoint  and  direct ;  and  at 
said  session,  or  as  soon  thereafter  as  may  by  them  be  deemed  expedient,  the  said  governor 
and  legislative  council  shall  proceed  to  locate  and  establish  the  seat  of  government  for  said 
territory,  at  such  place  as  they  may  deem  eligible ;  which  place,  however,  shall  thereafter 
be  subject  to  be  changed  by  the  said  governor  and  legislative  council,  and  the  time  and 
place  of  the  annual  commencement  of  the  session  of  the  said  legislative  council  thereafter 
shall  be  on  such  day  and  place  as  the  governor  and  council  may  appoint. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Mr.  Secretary  Bancroft's  Communication  to  Captain  Sloat,  of  the  12*/i  of  July,  1846 — Do. 
of  the  17th  of  August — General  Scott  to  General  Kearny — Mr.  Secretary  Mason  to  Cap 
tain  Stockton — Step/ienson's  Expedition — General  Kearny' 's  Operations  in  California,  fyc. 

PREVIOUS  to  the  promulgation  of  this  extraordinary  and  grand  scheme  of 
"free  government"  for  the  Californians,  and  its  establishment  according  to 
the  programme  of  the  government  at  Washington,  a  communication,  of 
which  the  following  is  a  copy,  passed  from  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy  to  Captain  Sloat : 

UNITED  STATES  NAVY  DEPARTMENT,  Washington,  July  12,  1846. 

COMMODORE, — Previous  instructions  have  informed  you  of  the  intention  of  this  govern 
ment,  pending  the  war  unth  Mexico,  to  take  and  hold  possession  of  California.  For  this  end, 
a  company  of  artillery,  with  cannon,  mortars,  and  munitions  of  war,  is  sent  to  you  in  the 
Lexington,  for  the  purpose  of  co-operating  with  you,  according  to  the  best  of  your  judg 
ment,  and  of  occupying,  under  your  direction,  such  post  or  posts  as  you  may  deem  expe 
dient,  in  the  Bay  of  Monterey,  or  in  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  or  in  both.  In  the 
absence  of  a  military  officer  higher  than  captain,  the  selection  of  the  first  American  post  or 
posts  on  the  waters  of  the  Pacific  in  California,  is  left  to  your  discretion. 

The  object  of  the  United  States  is,  under  its  rights  as  a  belligerent  nation,  to  possess  itself 
entirely  of  Upper  California. 

When  San  Francisco  and  Monterey  are  secured,  you  will,  if  possible,  send  a  small  ves 
sel  of  war  to  take  and  hold  possession  of  the  port  of  San  Diego ;  and  it.  ivould  be  well  to 
af certain  the  views  of  the  inhabitants  of  Pueblo  de  los  Angelas,  who,  according  to  information 
received  here,  may  be  counted  upon  as  desirous  of  coming  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  United 
States.  If  you  can  take  possession  of  it  you  should  do  so. 

The  object  of  the  United  States  lias  reference  to  ultimate  peace  with  Mexico :  and  if,  at  that 
peace,  the  basis  of  the  uti  possidetis  shall  be  established,  the  government  expects,  through 
i/our  forces,  to  be  found  in  actual  possession  of  Upper  California. 

This  will  bring  with  it  the  necessity  of  a  civil  administration.  Such  a  government 
should  be  established  under  your  protection ;  and  in  selecting  persons  to  hold  office,  duo 
respect  should  be  had  to  the  wishes  of  the  people  of  California,  as  well  as  to  the  actual 
possessors  of  authority  in  that  province.  It  may  be  proper  to  require  an  oath  of  allegiance 


SECRETARY  BANCROFT'S  INSTRUCTIONS.  31 

to  the  United  States  from  those  who  are  intrusted  with  authority.     You  will  also  assure 
the  people  of  California  of  the  protection  of  the  United  States. 

In  reference  to  commercial  regulations  in  the  ports  of  ichich  you  are  in  actual  possession, 
ships  and  produce  of  the  United  States  should  come  and  go  free  of  duty. 

For  your  farther  instruction,  I  enclose  to  you  a  copy  of  confidential  instructions  from 
the  War  Department  to  Brig.  Gen.  S.  W.  Kearny,  who  is  ordered  overland  to  California. 
You  will  also  communicate  your  instructions  to  him,  and  inform  him  that  they  have  the 
sanction  of  the  President. 

The  government  relies  on  the  land  and  naval  forces  to  co-operate  with  each  other  in  the 
most  friendly  and  effective  manner. 

Jlfter  you  shall  have  secured  Upper  California,  if  your  force  is  sufficient,  you  will  take 
possession  of,  and  keep,  the  harbours  on  the  Gulf  of  California,  as  far  down,  at  least,  as 
Guaymas.  But  this  is  not  to  interfere  with  the  permanent  occupation  of  Upper  California. 

A  regiment  of  volunteers  from  the  State  of  New  York,  to  serve  during  the  war,  have 
been  called  for  by  the  government,  and  are  expected  to  sail  from  the  1st  to  the  10th  of 
August.  This  regiment  will,  in  the  first  instance,  report  to  the  naval  commander  on  your 
station,  but  will  ultimately  be  under  the  command  of  General  Kearny,  who  is  appointed  to 
conduct  the  expedition  by  land. 

The  term  of  three  years  having  nearly  expired  since  you  have  been  in  command  of  the 
Pacific  squadron,  Commodore  Shubrick  will  soon  be  sent  out  in  the  Independence  to  relieve 
you.  The  department  confidently  hopes  that  all  Upper  California  will  be  in  your  hands 
before  the  relief  shall  arrive.  Very  respectfully, 

GEORGE  BANCROFT. 

Com.  JOHN  D.  SLOAT,  Commanding  U.  S.  naval  forces  in  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

It  should  be  understood  by  the  reader,  that  these  communications  from  the 
chiefs  of  the  bureaus  of  the  government  at  Washington,  are,  in  fact,  the  de 
spatches  of  the  government  in  Washington,  being  in  the  first  instance  pre 
sented  to  the  President  in  council ;  and  in  no  case  are  they  sent  out  unless 
approved  of  by  him.  So  that  they  are  the  expressions  of  the  will,  designs  and 
intentions  of  the  President  and  his  cabinet ;  and  they,  consequently,  figure 
the  policy  of  the  administration.  Understanding  the  official  communications 
of  the  heads  of  the  bureaus  of  the  government  at  Washington  in  this  light, 
none  who  read  the  preceding,  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  will  be  left  to 
doubt  that  the  conquest  of  Alta  California,  with  a  view  to  its  permanent  an 
nexation  to  the  United  States,  is  a  design  of  the  President,  and  a  leading  mea 
sure  of  his  administration.  It  will  be  seen  by  the  following  communication 
from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  that  the  generosity  of  President  Polk  will  not 
allow  his  designs  of  conquest  to  extend  farther  south  than  Guaymas,  which 
is  situated  a  little  south  of  the  28°  of  north  latitude.  Fixing  the  line  of  dis 
memberment  there,  we  should  only  take  a  trifle  more  than  a  half  part  of  the 
entire  territories  of  the  Republic  of  Mexico  ;  leaving  the  other  part  for 
another  bite — id  est,  "  if  a  treaty  of  peace  shall  be  macfe  on  the  basis  of  the 
uti  possidetis ." 

NAVY  DEPARTMENT,  August  17,  1846. 

COMMODORE, — The  United  States  being  in  a  state  of  war  by  the  action  of  Mexico,  it  is 
desired,  by  the  prosecution  of  hostilities,  to  hasten  the  return  of  peace,  and  to  secure  it  on 
advantageous  conditions.  For  this  purpose,  orders  have  been  given  to  the  squadron  in  the 
Pacific  to  take  and  keep  possession  of  Upper  California,  especially  of  the  ports  of  San  Fran 
cisco,  of  Monterey,  and  of  San  Diego;  and  also,  if  opportunity  offer,  and  the  people 
favour,  to  take  possession,  by  an  inland  expedition,  of  Pueblo  de  los  Angelos,  near  San 
Diego. 

On  reaching  the  Pacific,  your  first  duty  will  be  to  ascertain  if  these  orders  have  been 
carried  into  effect.  If  not,  you  will  take  immediate  possession,  of  Upper  California,  especially 
of  the  three  ports  of  San  Francisco,  Monterey,  and  San  Diego  ;  so  that,  if  tJie  treaty  of 
peace  shall  be  mj.de  on  the  basis  of  the  uti  possidetis,  it  may  leave  California  to  the  United 
States. 

The  relations  to  be  maintained  with  the  people  of  Upper  California  are  to  be  as  friendly  a* 


32  SECRETARY  BANCROFT'S  INSTRUCTIONS. 

possibk.  The  flag  of  the  United  States  must  be  raised,  but  under  it  the  people  are  to  be  allowed 
as  much  liberty  of  self-government  as  is  consistent  tvith  the  general  occupation  of  the  country 
by  the  United  States.  You,  as  commander-in-chief  of  the  squadron,  may  exercise  the  right 
to  interdict  the  entrance  of  any  vessel  or  articles  that  would  be  unfavourable  to  our  success 
in  the  war,  into  any  of  the  enemy's  ports  which  you  may  occupy.  With  this  exception, 
all  United  States  vessels  and  merchandise  must  be  allowed  by  the  local  authorities  of  the  ports 
of  which  you  take  possession,  to  come  and  go  free  of  duty ;  but  on  foreign  vessels  and  goods, 
reasonable  duties  may  be  imposed,  collected,  and  disposed  of  by  the  local  authorities,  under 
your  general  superintendence. 

A  military  force  has  been  directed  by  the  Secretary  of  War  to  proceed  to  the  western 
coast  of  California,  for  the  purpose  of  co-operation  with  the  navy  in  taking  possession  of, 
and  holding,  the  ports  and  positions  which  have  been  specified,  and  for  otherwise  operating 
against  Mexico. 

A  detachment  of  these  troops,  consisting  of  a  company  of  artillery,  under  command  of 
Captain  Tompkins,  has  sailed  in  the  United  States  ship  Lexington.  A  regiment  of  volun 
teers,  under  Colonel  Stevenson,  will  soon  sail  from  New  York ;  and  a  body  of  troops,  under 
Brigadier-general  Kearny,  may  reach  the  coast  over  Santa  Fe.  Copies  of  so  much  of  the 
instructions  to  Captain  Tompkins  and  General  Kearny  as  relates  to  objects  requiring  co 
operation,  are  herewith  enclosed. 

By  article  6,  of  the  General  Regulations  of  the  drmy,  edition  of  1825,  which  is  held  by 
the  War  Department  to  be  still  in  force,  and  of  which  I  enclose  you  a  copy,  your  commis 
sion  places  you,  in  point  of  precedence,  on  occasions  of  ceremony,  or  upon  meetings  for 
consultation,  in  the  class  of  major-general ;  but  no  officer  of  the  army  or  navy,  whatever 
may  be  his  rank,  can  assume  any  direct  command,  independent  of  consent,  over  an  officer 
of  the  other  service,  excepting  only  when  land  forces  are  especially  embarked  in  vessels  of 
war  to  do  the  duty  of  marines. 

The  President  expects  and  requires,  however,  the  most  cordial  and  effectual  co-operation 
between  the  officers  of  the  two  services,  in  taking  possession  of,  and  holding,  the  ports  and 
positions  of  the  enemy  which  are  designated  in  the  instructions  to  either  or  both  branches 
of  the  service,  and  will  hold  any  commander  of  either  branch  to  a  strict  responsibility  for 
any  failure  to  preserve  harmony  and  secure  the  objects  proposed. 

The  land  forces  which  have  been,  or  will  be,  sent  to  the  Pacific,  may  be  dependent  upon 
the  vessels  of  your  squadron  for  transportation  from  one  point  to  another,  and  for  shelter 
and  protection  in  case  of  being  compelled  to  abandon  positions  on  the  coast.  It  may  be 
necessary  also  to  furnish  transportation  for  their  supplies,  or  to  furnish  the  supplies  them 
selves,  by  the  vessels  under  your  direction. 

In  all  such  cases,  you  will  furnish  all  the  assistance  in  your  power,  which  will  not  inter 
fere  with  objects  that  in  your  opinion  are  of  greater  importance. 

You  will  (taking  care,  however,  to  advise  with  any  land  officer  of  high  rank — say,  of  the 
rank  of  brigadier-general,  who  may  be  at  hand)  make  the  necessary  regulations  for  the 
posts  that  may  be  occupied. 

Having  provided  for  the  full  possession  of  Upper  California,  the  next  point  of  importance 
is  the  Gulf  of  California.  From  the  best  judgment  I  can  form,  you  should  take  possession 
of  the  port  of  Guaymas.  The  progress  of  our  arms  will  probably  be  such,  that,  in  con 
junction  with  land  forces,  you  will  be  able  to  hold  possession  of  Guaymas,  and  so  to  reduce 
all  the  country  north  of  it  on  the  gulf. 

As  to  the  ports  south  of  it,  especially  Mazatlan  and  Acapulco,  it  is  not  possible  to  give 
you  special  instructions.  Generally,  you  will  take  possession  of,  or  blockade,  according  to 
your  best  judgment,  all  Mexican  ports,  as  far  as  your  means  allow;  but  south  of  Guaymas, 
if  the  provinces  rise  up  against  the  central  government,  and  manifest  friendship  toward  the 
United  States,  you  may,  according  to  your  discretion,  enter  into  a  temporary  agreement  of 
neutrality.  But  this  must  be  done  only  on  condition  that  our  ships  have  free  access  to 
their  ports,  and  equal  commercial  rights  with  those  of  other  nations ;  that  you  are  allowed 
to  take  in  water  and  fuel ;  to  purchase  supplies;  to  go  to  and  from  shore  without  obstruc 
tion,  as  in  time  of  peace;  and  that  the  provinces  which  are  thus  neutral  shall  absolutely 
abstain  from  contributing  towards  the  continuance  of  the  war  by  the  central  government 
of  Mexico  against  the  United  States. 

Generally,  you  will  exercise  the  rights  of  a  belligerent,  and  bear  in  mind,  that  the 
greater  advantages  you  obtain,  the  more  speedy,  and  the  more  advantageous  will  be  the 
peace. 

Should  Commodore  Biddle  be  in  the  Pacific,  off  the  shores  of  Mexico,  at  the  time  you 


GENERAL  SCOTT'S  LETTER.  33 

arrive  there,  you  will  report  yourself  to  him  ;  and,  as  long  as  he  remains  off  the  coast  of 
Mexico,  you  will  act  under  his  direction,  in  concert  with  him,  communicating  to  him  these 
instructions. 

The  Savannah,  the  Warren,  and  the  Levant  ought  soon  to  return.  If  you  hear  of  peace 
between  the  United  States  and  Mexico,  you  will  at  once  send  them  home. 

If  war  continues,  you  will  send  them  home  singly  or  in  company,  at  the  earliest  day 
they  can  be  spared.  The  Savannah  will  go  to  New  York,  and  the  Warren  and  Levant  to 
Norfolk.  , 

Very  respectfully,  yours, 

GEORGE  BANCROFT. 
Com.  WILLIAM  B.  SHUBRICK, 

Appointed  to  command  the  U.  S.  Naval  forces  in  the  Pacific  Ocean* 

It  is  shown  by  the  above  communication  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
that  permission,  or  rather  instructions  were  given  to  the  commander  of  the 
American  naval  forces  on  the  Pacific  coast  of  the  continent, «« to  enter  into  tem 
porary  agreements  of  neutrality"  with  any  of  the  Mexican  provinces,  south  of 
Guaymas,  who  were  disposed  "  to  rise  up  against  the  central  government 
of  Mexico,  and  to  manifest  friendship  towards  the  United  States."  The 
departments  or  states  of  Mexico  open  to  this  proposition,  are  as  follows : 
Sinaloa,  Jalisco,  Michoacan,  Mexico,  Puebla,  and  Oajaca^.  But  the  stubborn 
Mexicans  of  these  states  have  refused  to  avail  themselves  of  the  liberal 
offers  of  their  conquering  foes. 

From  the  following  communication  from  General  Scott  to  General  Kearny, 
it  is  to  be  inferred  that  Captain  Stockton  assumed  the  civil  government  of 
Alta  California,  without  the  expressed  authority,  and  contrary  to  the  inten 
tions  of  the  government  at  Washington ;  and  that  no  authority  emanated 
from  General  Scott,  authorizing  any  officer  of  the  army  formally  to  declare 
the  annexation  of  Alta  California  to  the  United  States  : 

HEAD-QUARTERS  OF  THE  ARMY,  Washington,  November  3,  1846. 

SIR, — We  have  received  from  you  many  official  reports — the  latest  dated  September  the 
16th.  A  special  acknowledgment  of  them  by  dates,  will  go,  herewith,  from  the  adjutant- 
general's  office. 

Your  march  upon,  and  conquest  of  New  Mexico,  together  with  the  military  dispositions 
made  for  holding  that  province,  have  won  for  you,  I  am  authorized  to  say,  the  emphatic 
approbation  of  the  executive,  by  whom,  it  is  not  doubted,  your  movement  upon  and  occu 
pation  of  Upper  California,  will  be  executed  with  like  energy,  judgment,  and  success. 

You  will,  at  Monterey,  or  the  bay  at  San  Francisco,  find  an  engineer  officer  (Lieutenant 
Halleck)  and  a  company  of  the  United  States  artillery,  under  Captain  Tompkins.  It  is 
probable  that  an  officer  of  engineers,  or  of  topographical  engineers,  has  accompanied  you 
from  Santa  Fe.  Those  officers,  and  the  company  of  artillery,  aided  by  other  troops  under 
your  command,  ought  promptly  to  be  employed  in  erecting  and  garrisoning  durable  defences 
for  holding  the  bays  of  Monterey  and  San  Francisco,  together  with  such  other  important 
points  in  the  same  province,  as  you  may  deem  it  necessary  to  occupy.  Entrenching  tools, 
ordnance,  and  ordnance  stores  went  out  in  the  ship  Lexington,  with  Captain  Tompkins. 
Further  ordnance  supplies  may  be  soon  expected. 

It  is  perceived,  by  despatches  received  at  the  Navy  Department  from  the  commander  of 
the  United  States  squadron  on  the  coast  of  the  Pacific,  that  certain  volunteers  were  taken 
into  the  service  by  him,  from  the  settlers  about  the  bays  of  Monterey  and  San  Francisco, 
to  aid  him  in  seizing  and  holding  that  country.  With  a  view  to  regular  payment,  it  is 
desirable  that  those  volunteers,  if  not  originally  mustered,  should  be  caused  by  you  to  be 
regularly  mustered  into  service  (retrospectively)  under  the  volunteer  act  of  May  13,  1846, 
amended  by  an  act  of  the  following  month.  This  may  be  done  with  the  distinct  under 
standing  that,  if  not  earlier  discharged,  as  no  longer  needed,  you  will  discharge  them  at  any 
time  they  may  signify  a  wish  to  that  effect. 

You  will  probably  find  certain  port  charges  ami  regulations  established  for  the  harbours 

of  the  province,  by  the  commanders  of  the  United  States  squadron   upon  its  coast.     The 

institution  and  alteration  of  such  regulations  appertain  to  the  naval  commander,  who  is  in- 

sh-u  :ted,  by  the  proper  department,  to  confer  on  the  subject,  with  the  commander  of  the 

5 


34  COLONEL  FREMONT'S  CORPS. 

land  forces.  As  established,  you  will,  in  your  sphere,  cause  those  regulations  to  be  duly 
respected  and  enforced.  On  the  other  hand,  the  appointment  of  temporary  collectors  at  the 
several  ports  appertains  to  the  civil  governor  of  the  province,  who  will  be,  for  the  time,  the 
senior  officer  of  the  land  forces  in  the  country.  Collectors,  however,  who  have  been  already 
appointed  by  the  naval  commander,  will  not  be  unnecessarily  changed. 

As  a  guide  to  the  civil  governor  of  Upper  California,  in  our  hands,  see  the  letter  of  June 
the  3d  (last)  addressed  to  you  by 'the  Secretary  of  War.  You  will  not,  however,  formally 
declare  the  province  to  be  annexed.  Permanent  incorporation  of  the  territory  must  depend 
on  the  government  of  the  United  States. 

After  occupying,  with  our  forces,  all  necessary  points  in  Upper  California,  and  establish 
ing  a  temporary  civil  government  therein,  as  well  as  assuring  yourself  of  its  internal  tran 
quillity,  and  the  absence  of  any  danger  of  reconquest  on  the  part  of  Mexico,  you  may 
charge  Colonel  Mason,  United  States  first  dragoons,  the  bearer  of  this  open  letter,  or  land 
officer  next  in  rank  to  your  own,  with  your  several  duties,  and  return  yourself,  with  a  suf 
ficient  escort  of  troops,  to  St.  Louis.  Missouri.  But  the  body  of  the  United  States  dra 
goons  that  accompanied  you  to  California  will  remain  there  until  further  orders. 

It  is  not  known  what  portion  of  the  Missouri  volunteers,  if  any,  marched  with  you  from 
Santa  Fe  to  the  Pacific.  If  any,  it  is  necessary  to  provide  for  their  return  to  their  homes 
and  honourable  discharge  ;  and,  on  the  same  supposition,  they  may  serve  you  as  a  sufficient 
escort  to  Missouri. 

It  is  known  that  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  of  the  United  States  rifle  regiment,  was, 
in  July  last,  with  a  party  of  men  in  the  service  of  the  United  States  topographical  engi 
neers,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  San  Francisco,  or  Monterey  bay,  engaged  in  joint  operations 
against  Mexico  with  the  United  States  squadron  on  that  coast.  Should  you  find  him  there, 
it  is  desired  that  you  do  not  detain  him,  against  his  wishes,  a  moment  longer  than  the  ne 
cessities  of  the  service  may  require. 

I  need  scarcely  enjoin  deference  and  the  utmost  cordiality  on  the  part  of  our  land  forces 
towards  those  of  our  navy  in  the  joint  service  on  the  distant  coast  of  California.  Recipro 
city  may  be  cordially  expected  ;  and  towards  that  end,  frequent  conferences  between  com 
manders  of  the  two  arms  are  recommended.  Harmony  in  co-operation,  and  success  cannot 
but  follow. 

Measures  have  been  taken  to  supply  the  disbursing  officers  who  have  preceded,  and  who 
may  accompany  you,  with  all  necessary  funds.  Of  those  measures  you  will  be  informed 
by  Colonel  Mason. 

I  remain,  sir,  with  great  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 

WINFIELD  SCOTT. 

To  Brig.  Gen.  STEPHEN  W.  KEARNY, 

U.  S.  d.  Commanding   U.  S.  forces  Wth  Military  Dept. 

By  the  preceding  communication  it  will  be  perceived,  that  General  Scott, 
on  the  3d  of  November,  1 846,  an  entire  month  before  the  Secretary  of  War 
made  his  annual  report,  had  full  knowledge  of  the  true  character  of  the  men 
serving  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  of  whom  he  says — "  It  is  KNOWN 
that  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  of  the  United  States  rifle  regiment,  was  in 
July  last,' with  a  party  of  men  in  the  service  of  the  United  States  topogra 
phical  engineers,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  San  Francisco,  or  Monterey  bay, 
engaged  in  joint  operations  against  Mexico  with  the  United  States  squadron 
on  the  coast :"  and  yet  the  Secretary  of  War  assures  the  American  people, 
in  his  report,  that  "  not  an  officer  or  soldier  of  the  United  States  army  ac 
companied  him."  In  common  parlance — in  fact — and  for  all  practical  pur 
poses,  do  not  men  who  are  "  in  the  service  of  the  United  States  topographi 
cal  engineers,"  belong  to  the  United  States  army ;  as  much  so  as  the  Cali 
fornia  rifle  battalion,  or  any  company  of  Texas  rangers,  who  have  followed 
the  trail  of  "  old  Rough  and  Ready!"  It  is  just  to  note  the  assertion  in  the 
following  communication,  that — "  The  existing  war  with  Mexico  has  been 
commenced  by  her."  Such  is  the  declaration  of  Mr.  Mason,  an  adviser 
and  supporter  of  ex-president  John  Tyler,  who  has  spread  his  sails,  and  now 
follows  in  the  wake  of  James  K.  Polk,  William  L.  Marcy,  and  Mr.  Ritchie, 
as  the  successor  of  George  Bancroft.  The  facts  are  submitted  to  the  reader : 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE   TERRITORY.  35 

[Confidential.] 

UNITED  STATES  NAVY  DEPARTMENT,  Washington,  Nov.  5,  1846. 
COMMODORE, — Commodore  Sloat  has  arrived  in  this  city,  and  delivered  your  letter  of  the 
28th  July  ult,  with  the  copy  of  your  address  to  the  people  of  California,  which  accompa 
nied  it.     The  department  is  gratified  that  you  joined  the  squadron  before  the  state  of  the 
commodore's  health  rendered  it  necessary  for  him  to  relinquish  his  important  command. 

The  difficulties  and  embarrassments  of  the  command,  without  a  knowledge  of  the  pro 
ceedings  of  Congress  on  the  subject  of  the  war  with  Mexico,  and  in  the  absence  of  the  in 
structions  of  the  department,  which  followed  these  proceedings,  are  justly  appreciated;  and 
it  is  highly  gratifying  that  go  much  has  been  done  in  anticipation  of  the  orders  which  have 
been  transmitted. 

You  will,  without  doubt,  have  received  the  despatches  of  the  15th  of  May  last,  addressed 
to  Commodore  Sloat ;  and  I  now  send  you,  for  your  guidance,  a  copy  of  instructions  to 
Commodore  Shubrick  of  the  17th  August.  He  sailed  early  in  September,  in  the  razee 
Independence,  with  orders  to  join  the  squadron  with  the  least  possible  delay.  On  his 
assuming  the  command,  you  may  hoist  a  red  pennant.  If  you  prefer,  you  may  hoist  your 
pennant  on  the  Savannah,  and  return  home  with  her  and  the  Warren. 

The  existing  war  with  Mexico  has  been  commenced  by  her.  Every  disposition  was  felt 
and  manifested  by  the  United  States  government  to  procure  redress  for  the  injuries  of  which 
we  complained,  and  to  settle  all  complaints  on  her  part,  in  the  spirit  of  peace  and  of  justice 
which  has  ever  characterized  our  intercourse  with  foreign  nations.  That  disposition  still 
exists ;  and  whenever  the  authorities  of  Mexico  shall  manifest  a  willingness  to  adjust  unset 
tled  points  of  controversy  between  the  two  republics,  and  to  restore  an  honourable  peace, 
they  will  be  met  in  a  corresponding  spirit. 

This  consummation  is  not  to  be  expected,  nor  is  our  national  honour  to  be  main 
tained,  without  a  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war  on  our  part.  Without  being  ani 
mated  by  any  ambitious  spirit  of  conquest,  our  naval  and  military  forces  must  hold  the  ports 
and  territory  of  the  enemy,  of  which  possession  has  been  obtained  by  their  arms.  You 
will,  therefore,  under  no  circumstances,  voluntarily  lower  the  flag  of  the  United  States,  or 
relinquish  the  actual  possession  of  Upper  California.  Of  other  points  of  the  Mexican  terri 
tory,  which  the  forces  under  your  command  may  occupy,  you  will  maintain  the  possession, 
or  withdraw,  as  in  your  judgment  may  be  most  advantageous  in  the  prosecution  of  the  war. 

In  regard  to  your  intercourse  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  country,  your  views  are  judicious, 
and  you  will  conform  to  the  instructions  heretofore  given.  You  will  exercise  the  rights  of 
a  belligerent;  and  if  you  find  that  the  liberal  policy  of  our  government,  in  purchasing  and 
paying  for  required  supplies,  is  misunderstood,  and  its  exercise  is  injurious  to  the  public 
interest,  you  are  at  liberty  to  take  them  from  the  enemy  without  compensation,  or  pay  such 
prices  as  may  be  deemed  just  and  reasonable.  The  best  policy  in  this  respect  depends  on  a 
knowledge  of  circumstances  in  which  you  are  placed,  and  is  left  to  your  discretion. 

The  Secretary  of  War  has  ordered  Col.  R.  B.  Mason,  1st  United  States  dragoons,  to 
proceed  to  California,  via  Panama,  who  will  command  the  troops  and  conduct  the  military 
operations  in  the  Mexican  territory  bordering  on  the  Pacific,  in  the  absence  of  Brigadier- 
general  Kearny.  The  commander  of  the  naval  forces  will  consult  and  co-operate  with  him 
in  his  command  to  the  same  extent  as  if  he  held  a  higher  rank  in  the  army.  In  all 
questions  of  relative  rank,  he  is  to  be  regarded  as  having  only  the  rank  of  colonel. 

The  President  has  deemed  it  best  for  the  public  interests  to  invest  the  military  officer 
commanding  with  the  direction  of  the  operations  on  land,  and  with  the  administrative  func 
tions  of  government  over  the  people  and  territory  occupied  by  us.  You  will  relinquish  to 
Colonel  Mason,  or  to  General  Kearny,  if  the  latter  shall  arrive  before  you  have  done  so,  the 
entire  control  over  these  matters,  and  turn  over  to  him  all  papers  necessary  to  the  perform 
ance  of  his  duties.  If  officers  of  the  navy  are  employed  in  the  performance  of  civil  or  mili 
tary  duties,  you  will  withdraw  or  continue  them,  at  your  discretion,  taking  care  to  put  them 
to  their  appropriate  duty  in  the  squadron,  if  the  army  officer  commanding  does  not  wish 
their  services  on  land. 

The  establishment  of  port  regulations  is  a  subject  over  whicli  it  is  deemed  by  the  Presi 
dent  most  appropriate  that  the  naval  commander  shall  exercise  jurisdiction.  You  will 
establish  these,  and  communicate  them  to  the  military  commander,  who  will  carry  them  into 
effect  so  far  as  his  co-operation  may  be  necessary,  suggesting  for  your  consideration  modifi 
cations  or  alterations. 

The  regulation  of  the  import  trade  is  also  confided  to  you.  The  conditions  under  which 
vessels  of  our  own  citizens  and  of  neutrals  may  be  admitted  into  ports  of  the  enemy  in  your 


36  KEARNY  AND  STEVENSON. 

possession,  will  be  prescribed  by  you,  subject  to  the  instructions  heretofore  given.  To  aid 
you,  copies  of  instructions  to  the  collectors  in  the  United  States,  from  the  Treasury  Depart 
ment,  on  the  same  subject,  are  enclosed.  On  cargoes  of  neutrals  imported  into  such  ports, 
you  may  impose  moderate  duties,  not  greater  in  amount  than  those  collected  in  the  ports 
of  the  United  States.  The  collection  of  these  duties  will  be  made  by  civil  officers,  to  be 
appointed,  and  subject  to  the  same  rules  as  other  persons  charged  with  civil  duties  in 
the  country.  These  appointments  will  be  made  by  the  military  officers  in  consultation 
with  you. 

The  President  directs  me  to  impress  most  earnestly  on  the  naval  officers,  as  it  is  im 
pressed  on  those  of  the  army,  the  importance  of  harmony  in  the  performance  of  their  deli 
cate  duties,  while  co-operating.  They  are  arms  of  one  body,  and  will,  I  doubt  not,  vie 
with  each  other  in  showing  which  can  render  the  most  efficient  aid  to  the  other  in  the  exe 
cution  of  common  orders,  and  in  sustaining  the  national  honour,  which  is  confided  to  both. 

You  will  make  your  communications  to  the  department  as  frequent  as  possible. 

The  great  distance  at  which  your  command  is  placed,  and  the  impossibility  of  maintain 
ing  a  frequent  or  regular  communication  with  you,  necessarily  induce  the  department  to 
leave  much  of  the  details  of  your  operations  to  your  discretion.  The  confident  belief  is 
entertained,  that,  with  the  general  outline  given  in  the  instructions,  you  will  pursue  a 
course  which  will  make  the  enemy  sensible  of  our  power  to  inflict  on  them  the  evils  of  war. 
while  it  will  secure  to  the  United  States,  if  a  definitive  treaty  of  peace  shall  give  us  Cali 
fornia,  a  population  impressed  with  our  justice,  grateful  for  our  clemency,  and  prepared  to 
love  our  institutions  and  to  honour  our  flag. 

On  your  being  relieved  in  the  command  of  the  squadron,  you  will  hand  your  instructions 
to  the  officer  relieving  you. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  JOHN  Y.  MASON. 

Cora.  ROBERT  F.  STOCKTON,  Camming  U.  S.  naval  forces  on  the  west  coast  of  Mexico. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  informs  Captain  Stockton  that  "  the  President 
has  deemed  it  best  for  the  public  interest  to  invest  the  military  officer  com 
manding  with  the  direction  of  the  operations  on  land,  and  with  the  adminis 
trative  functions  of  government  over  the  people  and  territory  occupied  by 
us  ;"  and  further  suggests  that  "the  Secretary  of  War  has  ordered  Col.  R.  B. 
Mason,  of  the  1st  regiment  U.  S.  dragoons,  to  proceed  to  California,  via 
Panama,  who  will  command  the  troops  and  conduct  the  military  operations 
in  the  Mexican  territory  bordering  on  the  Pacific,  in  the  absence  of  Briga 
dier-general  Kearny."* 

General  Kearny  had  been  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  troops  in  Cali 
fornia,  and  promoted  from  the  rank  of  colonel  to  that  of  brigadier-general, 
with  the  express  view  to  give  him  rank  corresponding  with  his  command. 
But  after  the  occupation  of  Santa  Fe,  and  as  he  was  about  to  enter  upon  his 
line  of  march  for  California,  General  Kearny,  under  date  of  "  Santa  Fe. 
September  16,  1846,'*  addressed  the  adjutant-general  as  follows  : — "  I  have 
now  respectfully  to  ask  that,  in  the  event  of  our  getting  possession  of  Upper 
California — of  establishing  a  civil  government  there — securing  peace,  quiet, 
and  order,  among  the  inhabitants,  and  precluding  the  possibility  of  the 
Mexicans  again  having  control  there,  I  may  be  permitted  to  leave  there  next 
summer  with  the  1st  dragoons,  and  march  them  back  to  Fort  Leavenworth, 
on  the  Missouri."  This  request  from  General  Kearny  was  acceded  to  by 
the  Secretary  of  War,  as  it  had  been  intended  by  him  to  invest  one  Jonathan 
D.  Stevenson,!  of  the  city  of  New  York,  with  the  civil  government  of  Cali- 

*  Brig.  Gen.  STEPHEN  W.  KEARNT  commenced  his  career  (as  the  writer  is  informed) 
as  an  officer  in  the  U.  S.  army,  during  the  last  war  with  Great  Britain.  Whether  he  has 
been  continuously  in  the  service  since  he  entered  it,  is  not  now  recollected.  Upon  the 
creation  of  the  1st  regiment  of  U.  S.  dragoons,  in  1835,  he  was  appointed  one  of  the  field- 
officers  of  that  regiment ;  and  at  the  commencement  of  the  war  with  Mexico  he  was  colonel- 
in-chief. 

j-  JONATHAN  D.  STF.VENSOU  is  a  native  of  the  city  of  New  York,  and  is  now  about  fifty 


GENERAL  KEARNY'S  MARCH  FROM  SANTA  FE.      37 

fornia ;  and,  with  this  view,  the  Secretary  of  War  commissioned  Stevenson 
to  raise  a  regiment  of  volunteers  for  service  in  California.  But  Stevenson's 
notoriously  bad  character,  with  a  still  worse  course  of  conduct,  pursued 
during  the  time  he  was  engaged  in  the  organization  of  his  regiment  in  New 
York,  compelled  the  Secretary  of  War  to  change  his  intentions  with  regard 
to  the  investment  of  Stevenson  with  the  civil  government  of  California,  and 
to  assign  Colonel  Mason,  of  the  1st  regiment  United  States  dragoons,  to  duty 
in  California,  and  to  act  as  military  commandant  and  civil  governor,  when 
ever  it  should  please  General  Kearny  to  retire  from  the  post. 

The  following  copies  of  communications  received  by  the  government  at 
Washington,  from  General  Kearny,  embrace  full  accounts  of  his  operations 
in  California,  and  may  be  accepted,  as  forming  only  a  single  page  in  the 
history  of  what  the  President  denominated,  in  his  last  annual  message, 
**  the  bloodless  acquisition  of  the  possession  of  the  Californias  !" 

HEAD-Q.UAIITERS,  ARMY  OF  THE  WEST, 

San  Diego,  Upper  California,  Dec.  12,  1846. 

SIH, — As  I  have  previously  reported  to  you,  I  left  Santa  Fe  (New  Mexico)  for  this 
country,  on  the  25th  of  September,  with  300  of  the  1st  dragoons,  under  Major  Sumner.  We 
crossed  to  the  hanks  of  the  Del  Norte  at  Albuquerque,  (sixty-five  miles  below  Santa  Fe,) 
continued  down  on  that  bank  till  the  6th  of  October,  when  we  met  Mr.  Kit  Carson,  with  a 
party  of  sixteen  men,  on  his  way  to  Washington  city,  with  a  mail  and  papers — an  express 
from  Commodore  Stockton  and  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  reporting  that  the  Califor 
nias  were  already  in  possession  of  the  Americans  under  their  command ;  that  the  Ameri 
can  flag  was  flying  from  every  important  position  in  the  territory,  and  that  the  country  was 
forever  free  from  Mexican  control ;  the  war  ended,  and  peace  and  harmony  established 
among  the  people.  In  consequence  of  this  information,  I  directed  that  200  dragoons  under 
Major  Sumner  should  remain  in  New  Mexico,  and  that  the  other  100,  with  two  mounted 
howitzers,  under  Captain  Moore,  should  accompany  me,  as  a  guard,  to  Upper  California. 
With  this  guard,  we  continued  our  march  to  the  south,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Del  Norte, 
to  the  distance  of  about  230  miles  below  Santa  Fe,  when,  leaving  that  river  on  the  15th 
of  October,  in  about  the  thirty-third  degree  of  latitude,  we  marched  westward  for  the  copper 
mines,  which  we  reached  on  the  18th,  and  on  the  20th  reached  the  river  Gila;  proceeded 
down  the  Gila,  crossing  and  recrossing  it  as  often  as  obstructions  in  our  front  rendered  it 
necessary;  on  the  llth  of  November,  reached  the  Pimos  village,  about  eighty  miles  from  the 
settlements  in  Sonora.  These  Indians  we  found  honest,  and  living  comfortably,  having 
made  a  good  crop  this  year ;  and  we  remained  with  them  two  days  to  rest  our  men,  and 
recruit  our  animals,  and  obtain  provisions.  On  the  22d  of  November,  reached  the  mouth  of 
the  Gila,  in  latitude  about  thirty-two  degrees— our  whole  march  on  this  river  having  been 
nearly  500  miles,  and  with  but  very  little  exception,  between  the  thirty-second  and  thirty- 
third  parallels  of  latitude. 

This  river,  (the  Gila,)  more  particularly  the  northern  side,  is  bounded  nearly  the  whole 
distance  by  a  range  of  lofty  mountains;  and  if  a  tolerable  wagon  road  to  its  mouth,  from 
the  Del  Norte,  is  ever  discovered,  it  must  be  on  the  south  side.  The  country  is  destitute 
of  timber,  producing  but  few  cotton-wood  and  mosquite  trees;  and  though  the  soil  on  the 
bottom  lands  is  generally  good,  yet  we  found  but  very  little  grass  or  vegetation,  in  conse 
quence  of  the  dryness  of  the  climate  and  the  little  rain  which  falls  here.  The  Pimos 
Indians,  who  make  good  crops  of  wheat,  corn,  vegetables,  &c.,  irrigate  the  land  by  water 
from  the  Gila,  as  did  the  Aztecs,  (the  former  inhabitants  of  the  country,)  the  remains  of 

years  of  age.  His  parents  were  English;  his  father  having  served  many  years  in  the 
British  navy  as  a  common  sailor.  In  New  York  he  followed  the  business  of  a  boatman. 
Jonathan  was  bred  to  the  business  of  a  tailor;  but,  for  a  short  servitude,  he  was  in  the  em 
ployment  of  the  late  ex-Governor  Tompkins,  as  a  hired  man  for  all  work.  After  leaving 
Governor  Tompkins's  employment,  he  set  up  a  tailor's  shop  in  Canal  street ;  and  from 
thence  he  removed  to  Water  street ;  and  afterwards  changed  his  business  to  keeping  an  eat 
ing  and  drinking  house.  He  possesses  neither  military  skill  nor  experience ;  and  conse 
quently,  his  selection,  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  to  command  a  regiment  of  volunteers  in 
California,  struck  the  citizens  of  New  York,  generally,  with  surprise. 

D 


38 


BATTLE   OF  SAN   PASQUAL. 


whose  suquias,  or  liltie  canals,  were  seen  by  us,  as  well  as  the  position  of  many  of  their 
dwellings,  and  a  large  quantity  of  broken  pottery  and  earthenware  used  by  them. 

We  crossed  the  Colorado  about  ten  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Gila,  and,  marching 
near  it  about  thirty  miles  further,  turned  off  and  crossed  the  desert — a  distance  of  about 
sixty  miles — without  water  or  grass. 

On  the  2d  of  December,  reached  Warner's  rancho,  (Agua  Caliente,)  the  frontier  settlement 
in  California,  on  the  route  leading  to  Sonora.  On  the  4th,  marched  to  Mr.  Stokes's  rancho, 
(San  Isabella,)  and  on  the  5th,  were  met  by  a  small  party  of  volunteers,  under  Captain 
Gillespie,  sent  out  from  San  Diego,  by  Commodore  Stockton,  to  give  us  what  information 
they  possessed  of  the  enemy,  600  or  700  of  whom  are  now  said  to  be  in  arms  and  in  the 
field  throughout  the  territory,  determined  upon  opposing  the  Americans  and  resisting  their 
authority  in  the  country.  Encamped  that  night  near  another -rancho  (San  Maria)  of  Mr. 
Stokes,  about  forty  miles  from  San  Diego. 

The  journals  and  maps,  kept  and  prepared  by  Captain  Johnston,  (my  aid-de-camp,)  and 
those  by  Lieutenant  Emory,  topographical  engineers,  which  will  accompany  or  follow  this 
report,  will  render  any  thing  further  from  me  on  this  subject  unnecessary. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

STEPHEN   W.  KEARNY,  Brig.  Gen.  U.S.Jl. 

Brig.  Gen.  ROGJCH  JONES,  Adj't  Gen.  U.  S.  A. 

HEAD-QUARTERS,  ARJIT  or  THE  WEST, 
San  Diego,  Upper  California,  Dec.  13,  1846. 

SIR, — In  my  communication  to  you,  of  yesterday's  date,  I  brought  the  reports  of  the 
movements  of  my  guard  up  to  the  morning  of  the  5th  instant,  in  a  camp  near  a  rancho  of 
Mr.  Stokes,  (Santa  Maria,)  about  forty  miles  from  San  Diego. 

Having  learned  from  Captain  Gillespie,  of  the  volunteers,  that  there  was  an  armed  party 
of  Californians,  with  a  number  of  extra  horses,  at  San  Pasqual,  three  leagues  distant,  on 
a  road  leading  to  this  place.  I  sent  Lieutenant  Hammond,  1st  dragoons,  with  a  few  men  to 
make  a  reconnoissance  of  them.  He  returned  at  two  in  the  morning  of  the  6th  instant, 
reporting  that  he  had  found  the  party  in  the  place  mentioned,  and  that  he  had  been  seen, 
though  not  pursued  by  them.  I  then  determined  that  I  would  march  for  and  attack  them 
by  break  of  day.  Arrangements  were  accordingly  made  for  the  purpose.  My  aid-de-camp, 
Captain  Johnston,  dragoons,  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  advanced  guard  of 
twelve  dragoons,  mounted  on  the  best  horses  we  had ;  then  followed  about  fifty  dragoons 
under  Captain  Moore,  mounted,  with  but  few  exceptions,  on  the  tired  mules  they  had  rid 
den  from  Santa  Fe,  (New  Mexico,  1050  miles.)  then  about  twenty  volunteers  of  Captain 
Gibson's  company  under  his  command,  and  that  of  Captain  Gillespie ;  then  followed  our 
two  mountain  howitzers,  with  dragoons  to  manage  them,  and  under  the  charge  of  Lieu 
tenant  Davidson,  of  the  regiment.  The  remainder  of  the  dragoons,  volunteers,  and  citi 
zens,  employed  by  the  officers  of  the  stafY,  &c.,  were  placed  under  the  command  of  Major 
Swords,  (quartermaster,)  with  orders  to  follow  on  our  trail  with  the  baggage,  and  to  see  to 
its  safety. 

As  the  day  (December  6)  dawned,  we  approached  the  enemy  at  San  Pasqual,  who  was 
already  in  the  saddle,  when  Captain  Johnston  made  a  furious  charge  upon  them  with  his 
advanced  guard,  and  was  in  a  short  time  after  supported  by  the  dragoons ;  soon  after  which 
the  enemy  gave  way,  having  kept  up,  from  the  beginning,  a  continued  fire  upon  us.  Upon 
the  retreat  of  the  enemy,  Captain  Moore  led  off  rapidly  in  pursuit,  accompanied  by  the  dra 
goons,  mounted  on  horses,  and  was  followed,  though  slowly,  by  the  others  on  their  tired 
mules ;  the  enemy,  well  mounted,  and  among  them  the  best  horsemen  in  the  world,  after 
retreating  about  half  a  mile,  and  seeing  an  interval  between  Captain  Moore  with  his  ad 
vance,  and  the  dragoons  coming  to  his  support,  rallied  their  whole  force,  charged  with  their 
lances,  and  on  account  of  their  greatly  superior  numbers,  but  few  of  us  in  front  remained 
untouched ;  for  five  minutes  they  held  the  ground  from  us,  when  our  men  coming  up,  we 
again  drove  them,  and  they  fled  from  the  field  not  to  return  to  it,  which  we  occupied  and 
encamped  upon. 

A  most  melancholy  duty  now  remains  for  me ;  it  is  to  report  the  death  of  my  aid-de 
camp,  Captain  Johnston,  who  was  shot  dead  at  the  commencement  of  the  action  ;  of  Captain 
Moore,  who  was  lanced  just  previous  to  the  final  retreat  of  the  enemy,  and  of  Lieutenant 
Hammond,  also  lanced,  and  who  survived  but  a  few  hours.  We  had  also  killed  two  ser 
geants,  two  corporals,  and  ten  privates  of  the  1st  dragoons;  one  private  of  the  volunteers, 
and  one  man,  an  engagee  in  the  topographical  department.  Among  the  wounded  are  my- 


THE  BLOODLESS  ACQUISITION!  39 

self,  (in  two  places,)  Lieutenant  Warner,  topographical  engineers,  (in  three  places,)  Cap 
tains  Gillespie  and  Gibson,  of  the  volunteers,  (the  former  in  three  places,)  one  serjeant, 
one  bugle-man  and  nine  privates  of  the  dragoons ;  many  of  these  surviving  from  two  to 
ten  lance-wounds,  most  of  them  when  unhorsed  and  incapable  of  resistance. 

Our  howitzers  were  not  brought  into  action ;  but  coming  to  the  front,  at  the  close  of  it, 
before  they  were  turned,  so  as  to  admit  of  being  fired  upon  by  the  retreating  enemy,  the  two 
mules  before  one  of  them  got  alarmed,  and  freeing  themselves  from  their  drivers,  ran  off 
and  among  the  enemy,  and  were  thus  lost  to  us. 

The  enemy  proved  to  be  a  party  of  about  160  Californians,  under  Andreas  Pico,  brother  of 
the  late  governor ;  the  number  of  their  dead  and  wounded  must  have  been  considerable, 
though  I  have  no  means  of  ascertaining  how  many,  as,  just  previous  to  their  final  retreat, 
they  carried  off  all  excepting  six. 

The  great  number  of  our  killed  and  wounded  proves  that  our  officers  and  men  have 
fully  sustained  the  high  character  and  reputation  of  our  troops ;  and  the  victory  thus 
gained  over  more  than  double  our  force,  may  assist  in  forming  the  wreath  of  our  national 
glory. 

I  have  to  return  my  thanks  to  many  for  their  gallantry  and  good  conduct  on  the  field, 
and  particularly  to  Captain  Turner,  1st  dragoons,  (assistant  acting  adjutant-general,)  and 
to  Lieutenant  Emory,  topographical  engineers,  who  were  active  in  the  performance  of  their 
duties,  and  in  conveying  orders  from  me  to  the  command. 

On  the  morning  of  the  7th,  having  made  ambulances  for  our  wounded,  and  interred  the 
dead,  we  proceeded  on  our  march,  when  the  enemy  showed  himself,  occupying  the  hills  in 
our  front,  but  which  they  left  as  we  approached;  till,  reaching  San  Bernado,  a  party  of 
them  took  possession  of  a  hill  near  to  it,  and  maintained  their  position  until  attacked  by 
our  advance  who  quickly  drove  them  from  it,  killing  and  wounding  five  of  their  number, 
with  no  loss  on  our  part. 

On  account  of  our  wounded  men,  and  upon  the  report  of  the  surgeon  that  rest  was  ne 
cessary  for  them,  we  remained  at  this  place  till  the  morning  of  the  llth,  when  Lieutenant 
Gray,  of  the  navy,  in  command  of  a  party  of  sailors  and  marines,  sent  out  from  San  Diego 
by  Commodore  Stockton,  joined  us.  We  proceeded  at  ten  A.  M.,  the  enemy  no  longer 
showing  himself;  and  on  the  12th  (yesterday)  we  reached  this  place ;  and  I  have  now  to 
offer  my  thanks  to  Commodore  Stockton,  and  all  of  his  gallant  command,  for  the  very 
many  kind  attentions  we  have  received  and  continue  to  receive  from  them. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

STEPHEN   W.  KEARNY,  Brig.  Gen.  U.  S.  A. 

Brig.  Gen.  ROGER  JOSTES,  Adjutant-General,  U.  S.  Jl. 

HEAD-QUARTERS,  ARMY  OF  THE  WEST, 

Cuidad  de  los  Angelas,  Upper  California,  January  12,  1847. 

SIR, — I  have  the  honour  to  report  that  at  the  request  of  Com.  Robert  F.  Stockton, 
United  States  navy,  (who,  in  September  last,  assumed  the  title  of  Governor  of  California,) 
I  consented  to  take  command  of  an  expedition  to  this  place,  (the  capital  of  the  country,) 
and  that,  on  the  29th  of  December,  I  left  San  Diego  with  about  500  men,  consisting  of  sixty 
dismounted  dragoons  under  Captain  Turner,  fifty  California  volunteers,  and  the  remain 
der  of  marines  and  sailors,  with  a  battery  of  artillery — Lieutenant  Emory  (topographical 
engineer)  acting  as  assistant  adjutant-general.  Commodore  Stockton  accompanied  us. 

We  proceeded  on  our  route  without  seeing  the  enemy,  till  on  the  8th  instant,  when  they 
showed  themselves  in  full  force  of  600  mounted  men,  with  four  pieces  of  artillery,  under 
their  governor,  (Flores,)  occupying  the  heights  in  front  of  us,  which  commanded  the  cross 
ing  of  the  river  San  Gabriel,  and  they  ready  to  oppose  our  further  progress.  The  neces 
sary  disposition  of  our  troops  was  immediately  made,  by  covering  our  front  with  a  strong 
party  of  skirmishers,  placing  our  wagons  and  baggage  train  in  rear  of  them,  and  protecting 
the  flanks  and  rear  with  the  remainder  of  the  command.  We  then  proceeded,  forded  the 
river,  carried  the  heights,  and  drove  the  enemy  from  them  after  an  action  of  about  an  hour 
and  a  half,  during  which  they  made  a  charge  upon  our  left  flank,  which  was  repulsed ; 
soon  after  which  they  retreated  and  left  us  in  possession  of  the  field,  on  which  we  en 
camped  that  night. 

The  next  day  (the  9th  instant)  we  proceeded  on  our  march  at  the  usual  hour,  the  enemy 
in  our  front  and  on  our  flanks ;  and  when  we  reached  the  plains  of  the  Mesa,  their  artil 
lery  again  opened  upon  us,  when  their  fire  was  returned  by  our  guns  as  we  advanced  ;  and 
after  hovering  around  and  near  us  for  about  two  hours,  occasionally  skirmishing  with  us 


40  CAPITULATION  AT  SAN  FERNANDO. 

during  that  time,  they  concentrated  their  force  and  made  another  charge  on  our  left  flank, 
which  was  quickly  repulsed  ;  shortly  after  which  they  retired,  we  continuing  our  march, 
and  we  (in  the  afternoon)  encamped  on  the  banks  of  the  Mesa,  three  miles  below  this  city, 
•which  we  entered  the  following  morning  (the  10th  instant)  without  further  molestation. 

Our  loss  in  the  actions  of  the  8th  and  9th  was  small,  being  but  one  private  killed,  and 
two  officers  (Lieutenant  Rowan,  of  the  navy,  and  Captain  Gillespie  of  the  volunteers) 
and  eleven  privates  wounded.  The  enemy,  mounted  on  fine  horses,  and  being  the  best 
riders  in  the  world,  carried  off  their  killed  and  wounded,  and  we  know  not  the  number  of 
them,  though  it  must  have  been  considerable. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

STEPHEN    W.  KEARNY,  Brig.  Gen.  U.  S.  A. 

Brig.  Gen.  ROGER  JONES,  Adjutant-general,  U.  S.  A. 

Statement  of  killed  and  ivoundcd  in  the  action  of  the  8th  of  January,  1847. 

Killed. — Frederic  Strauss,  seaman,  United  States  ship  Portsmouth,  artillery  corps :  can 
non-shot  in  the  neck. 

Wounded. —  1st,  Jacob  Hait,  volunteer,  artillery  driver,  wound  in  left  breast ;  died  on 
evening  of  9th.  2d,  Thos.  Smith,  ordinary  seaman,  United  States  ship  Cyane,  company 
D,  musketeers,  shot  by  accident  through  the  right  thigh  ;  died  on  the  9th.  3d,  William 
Cope,  seaman,  United  States  ship  Savannah,  company  B,  musketeers,  wound  in  the  right 
thigh  and  right  arm  ;  severe.  4th,  George  Bantum,  ordinary  seaman,  United  States  ship 
Cyane,  pikeman,  punctured  wound  of  hand,  accidental ;  slight.  5th,  Patrick  Campbell, 
seaman,  United  States  ship  Cyane,  company  D,  musketeers,  wound  in  thigh  by  spent  ball ; 
slight.  6th,  William  Scott,  private,  United  States  marine  corps,  ship  Portsmouth,  wound 
in  the  chest,  spent  ball ;  slight.  7th,  James  Hendry,  seaman,  United  States  ship  Con 
gress,  company  A,  musketeers,  spent  ball,  wound  over  stomach ;  slight.  8th,  Joseph  Wil 
son,  seaman,  United  States  ship  Congress,  company  A,  musketeers,  wound  in  right  thigh, 
spent  ball ;  slight.  9th,  Ivory  Coffin,  seaman,  United  States  ship  Savannah,  company  B, 
musketeers,  contusion  of  right  knee,  spent  ball ;  slight. 

Wounded  on  the  9th. — 1st,  Mark  A.  Child,  private,  company  C,  1st  regiment  United 
States  dragoons,  gunshot  wound  in  right  heel,  penetrating  upwards  into  the  ankle  joint ; 
severe.  2d,  John  Campbell,  ordinary  seaman,  United  States  ship  Congress,  company  D, 
carbineers,  wound  in  right  foot,  second  toe  amputated  ;  accidental  discharge  of  his  own 
carbine.  3d,  Geo.  Crawford,  boatswain's  mate,  United  States  ship  Cyane,  company  D, 
musketeers,  wound  in  left  thigh  ;  severe.  Lieutenant  Rowan,  United  States  navy,  and 
Captain  Gillespie,  California  battalion,  volunteers,  contused  slightly  by  spent  balls. 
I  am,  sir,  most  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN    S.  GRIFFIN,  Assistant  Surgeon,  U.  S.  N. 

Captain  WILLIAM  H.  EMORY,  Assistant  Adjutant-general,  U.  S.  forces. 

Cuidad  de  los  Angelas,  California,  January  11,  1847. 

HEAn-QJTARTERS,  ARKT    OF    THE    WEST, 

Cuidad  de  los  Angelas,  January  14th,  1847. 

SIR, — This  morning,  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  of  the  regiment  of  mounted  riflemen, 
reached  here  with  400  volunteers  from  the  Sacramento ;  the  enemy  capitulated  with  him 
yesterday,  near  San  Fernando,  agreeing  to  lay  down  their  arms,  and  we  have  now  the  pros 
pect  of  having  peace  and  quietness  in  the  country,  which  I  hope  may  not  be  interrupted 
again. 

I  have  not  yet  received  any  information  of  the  troops  which  were  to  come  from  New 
York,  nor  of  those  to  follow  me  from  New  Mexico,  but  presume  they  will  be  here  before 
long.  On  their  arrival,  I  shall,  agreeably  to  the  instructions  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  have  the  management  of  affairs  in  this  country,  and  will  endeavour  to  carry  out  his 
views  in  relation  to  it. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

STEPHEN   W.  KEARNY,  Brig.  Gen.  U.  S.  A. 
Brig.  Gen.  ROGER  JONES,  Adjutant-general,  U.  S.  A. 


GENERAL  KEARNY  AND  CAPTAIN  STOCKTON.  41 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Differences  between  General  Kearny  and  Captain  Stockton — Captain  Stockton's  Report — 
Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont's  Treaty — Letter  of  late  U.  S.  Consul — Lieutenant  Talbot's 
Letter — Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont's  Explanation — Letter  from  Mr.  Secretary  Marcy  to 
General  Kearny,  fyc. 

To  the  communications  contained  in  the  preceding  chapter,  from  General 
Kearny,  the  following  additional  ones,  (copies  of  which  were  furnished 
for  publication  from  the  Navy  Department  at  Washington,)  from  Captain 
Stockton,  are  added,  as  constituting  a  more  perfect  account  of  the  military 
operations  in  California. 

General  Kearny  acknowledges  the  presence  of  Captain  Stockton ;  and 
states — That  "at  the  request  of  Commodore  R.  F.  Stockton,  U.  S.  Navy, 
who  in  September  last  had  assumed  the  title  of  Governor  of  California,  I  con 
sented  to  take  command  of  an  expedition  to  this  place,  [Cuidad  de  los  Angelos,] 
and,  on  the  29th  of  December,  I  left  San  Diego  with  500  men,  consisting  of 
about  sixty  dismounted  dragoons  under  Captain  Turner,  fifty  California  volun 
teers,  and  the  remainder  of  marines  and  sailors,  with  a  battery  of  artillery." 
The  same  movement  is  thus  described  by  Captain  Stockton : — "  We  left  San 
Diego  on  the  29th  of  December,  with  about  600  fighting  men,  composed  of 
detachments  from  the  ships  Congress,  Savannah,  Portsmouth  and  Cyane, 
aided  by  General  Kearny  with  a  detachment  of  sixty  men  on  foot,  from  the 
1st  regiment  U.  S.  dragoons,  and  by  Captain  Gillespie  with  sixty  mounted 
riflemen."  The  preceding  is  the  only  mention  made  by  Captain  Stockton 
of  the  presence  and  services  of  General  Kearny,  and  in  this  it  will  be  seen 
that  Captain  Stockton,  instead  of  acknowledging  General  Kearny  as  being 
in  command,  mentions  him  only  as  the  leader  of  sixty  dismounted  dragoons, 
and  puts  his  services  on  a  par  with  those  of  Captain  Gillespie,  the  com 
mander  of  a  company  of  mounted  volunteers.  There  could  exist  no  good 
feeling  between  commanders  who  could  authorize  such  reports  of  the  per 
formance  of  their  public  duties :  and  they  look  bad  in  history. 

HEAD-QUARTERS,  Cuidad  de  los  Jlngelos,  January  11,  1847. 

SIR, — I  have  the  honour  to  inform  you  that  it  has  pleased  God  lo  crown  our  poor  efforts 
to  put  down  the  rebellion,  and  to  retrieve  the  credit  of  our  arms,  with  the  most  complete 
success.  The  insurgents  determined,  with  their  whole  force,  to  meet  us  on  our  march  from 
San  Diego  to  this  place,  and  to  decide  the  fate  of  the  territory  by  a  general  battle. 

Having  made  the  best  preparation  I  could,  in  the  face  of  a  boasting  and  vigilant  enemy, 
we  left  San  Diego  on  the  29th  day  of  December,  (that  portion  of  the  insurgent  army  who 
had  been  watching  and  annoying  us,  having  left  to  join  the  main  body,)  with  about  600 
fighting  men,  composed  of  detachments  from  the  ships  Congress,  Savannah,  Portsmouth, 
and  Cyane,  aided  by  General  Kearny,  with  a  detachment  of  sixty  men  on  foot,  from  the 
1st  regiment  of  United  States  dragoons,  and  by  Captain  Gillespie,  with  sixty  mounted 
riflemen. 

We  marched  nearly  one  hundred  and  forty  miles  in  ten  days,  and  found  the  rebels  on 
the  8th  day  of  January  in  a  strong  position,  on  the  high  bank  of  the  Rio  San  Gabriel, 
with  600  mounted  men  and  four  pieces  of  artillery,  prepared  to  dispute  our  passage  across 
the  river. 

We  waded  through  the  water,  dragging  our  guns  after  us  against  the  galling  fire  of  the 
enemy,  without  exchanging  a  shot  until  we  reached  the  opposite  shore ;  when  the  fight 
became  general,  and  our  troops  having  repelled  a  charge  of  the  enemy,  charged  up  the 
bank  in  most  gallant  manner,  and  gained  a  complete  victory  over  the  insurgent  army. 

The  next  day,  on  our  march  across  the  plains  of  the  "Mesa"  to  this  place,  the  insur 
gents  made  another  desperate  effort  to  save  the  capital  and  their  own  necks ;  they  were 
6  D2 


42  COLONEL  FREMONT'S  TREATY. 

concealed  with  their  artillery  in  a  ravine  until  we  came  within  gunshot,  when  they  opened 
a  brisk  fire  from  their  field-pieces  on  our  right  flank,  and  at  the  same  time  charged  both 
on  our  front  and  rear.  We  soon  silenced  their  guns,  and  repelled  the  charge,  when  they 
fled,  and  permitted  us  the  next  morning  to  march  into  town  without  any  further  oppo 
sition. 

We  have  rescued  the  country  from  the  hands  of  the  insurgents,  but  I  fear  that  the  absence 
of  Col.  Fremont's  battalion  of  mounted  riflemen  will  enable  most  of  the  Mexican  officers, 
who  have  broken  their  parole,  to  escape  to  Sonora. 

I  am  happy  to  say  that  our  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  does  not  exceed  twenty,  whilst 
we  are  informed  that  the  enemy  has  lost  between  seventy  and  eighty. 

This  despatch  must  go  immediately ;  I  will  wait  another  opportunity  to  furnish  you  with 
the  details  of  these  two  battles,  and  the  gallant  conduct  of  the  officers  and  men  under  my 
command,  with  their  names.  Faithfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

R.  F.  STOCKTON,  Commodore,  $c. 

To  the  Hon.  GEORGE  BANCROFT,  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  Washington,  D,  C. 

P.  S.  Enclosed  I  have  the  honour  to  send  to  you  a  translation  of  the  letter  handed  to 
me  by  the  commissioners  mentioned  in  another  part  of  this  despatch,  sent  by  Jose  Ma. 
Flores,  to  negotiate  a  peace  honourable  to  both  nations.  The  verbal  answer,  stated  in 
another  page  of  this  letter,  was  sent  to  this  renowned  general  and  commander-in-chief.  He 
had  violated  his  honour,  and  I  would  not  treat  with  him  nor  write  to  him. 

HEAD-QUARTERS,  Cuidad  dc  los  jQngclos,  January  15,  1847. 

SIR, — Referring  to  my  letter  of  the  llth,  I  have  the  honour  to  inform  you  of  the  arrival 
of  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont  at  this  place,  with  400  men — that  some  of  the  insurgents 
have  made  -their  escape  to  Sonora,  and  that  the  rest  have  surrendered  to  our  arms. 

Immediately  after  the  battles  of  the  8th  and  9th,  they  began  to  disperse ;  and  I  am  sorry 
to  say  that  their  leader,  Jose  Ma.  Flores,  made  his  escape,  and  that  the  others  have  been 
pardoned  by  a  capitulation  agreed  upon  by  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont. 

"  Jose  Ma.  Flores,  the  commander  of  the  insurgent  forces,  two  or  three  days  previous  to 
the  8th,  sent  two  commissioners  with  a  flag  of  truce  to  my  camp,  to  make  "a  treaty 
of  peace."  I  informed  the  commissioners  that  I  could  not  recognise  Jose  Ma.  Flores, 
who  had  broken  his  parole,  as  an  honourable  man,  or  as  one  having  any  rightful  au 
thority,  or  worthy  to  be  treated  with — that  he  was  a  rebel  in  arms,  and  if  I  caught  him 
I  would  have  him  shot.  It  seems  that  not  being  able  to  negotiate  with  me,  and  having 
iost  the  battles  of  the  8th  and  9th,  they  met  Colonel  Fremont  on  the  12th  instant,  on 
his  way  here,  who,  Kot  knowing  what  had  occurred,  entered  into  the  capitulation  with 
them,  which  I  now  send  to  you ;  and,  although  I  refused  to  do  it  myself,  still  I  have 
thought  it  best  to  approve  it. 

The  territory  of  California  is  again  tranquil,  and  the  civil  government  formed  by  me 
is  again  in  operation  in  the  places  where  it  was  interrupted  by  the  insurgents. 

Colonel  Fremont  has  500  men  in  his  battalion,  which  will  be  quite  sufficient  to  pre 
serve  the  peace  of  the  territory ;  and  I  will  immediately  withdraw  my  sailors  and  marines, 
and  sail  as  soon  as  possible  for  the  coast  of  Mexico,  where  I  hope  they  will  give  a  good 
account  of  themselves.  Faithfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

R.  F.  STOCKTON,  Commodore,  $c. 

To  the  Hon.  GEORGE  BANCROFT,  Secretary  of  tlie  Navy,  Washington,  D.  C. 
To  all  whom  these  presents  shall  come,  greeting : 

Know  ye  that,  in  consequence  of  propositions  of  peace,  or  cessation  of  hostilities  being 
submitted  to  me  as  commandant  of  the  California  battalion  of  United  States  forces,  which 
has  so  far  been  acceded  to  by  me,  as  to  cause  me  to  appoint  a  board  of  commissioners  to 
confer  with  a  similar  board  appointed  by  the  Californians ;  and  it  requiring  a  little  time  to 
close  the  negotiations,  it  is  agreed  upon  and  ordered  by  me,  that  an  entire  cessation  of  hos 
tilities  shall  take  place  until  to-morrow  afternoon,  (January  13th,)  and  that  the  said  Cali 
fornians  be  permitted  to  bring  in  their  wounded  to  the  mission  of  San  Fernandez,  where 
also,  if  they  choose,  they  can  remove  their  camp,  to  facilitate  said  negotiations. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal,  this  12th  day  of  January,  1847. 

JOHN  C.  FREMONT, 

Lieutenant-colonel  U.  S.J1,,  and  Military  Commandant  of  California. 
Articles  of  capitulation  made  and  entered  into  at  the  rancho  of  Covvanga,  this  thirteenth 
day  of  January,  Anno  Domini,  eighteen  hundred  and  forty-seven,  between  P.  B.  Reading, 
major,  Louis  McLane,  jr.,  commanding  artillery,  William  H.  Russell,  ordnance  officer, 


COLONEL  FREMONT'S  TREATY.  4   -          43 

commissioners  appointed  by  John  C.  Fremont,  Lieutenant-colonel,  United  States  army, 
and  military  commandant  of  the  territory  of  California,  and  Jose  Antonio  Carillo,  com 
mandant  Escuadron,  Augustine  Olvera,  deputado,  commissioners  appointed  by  Don  Andres 
Pico,  commander-in-chief  of  the  Californian  forces  under  the  Mexican  flag  : — 

ARTICLE  1.  The  commissioners  on  the  part  of  the  ("dlifornians  agree  that  their  entire 
force  shall,  on  presentation  of  themselves  to  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  deliver  up  their 
artillery  and  public  arms,  and  that  they  shall  return  peaceably  to  their  homes,  conforming  to 
the  laws  and  regulations  of  the  United  States,  and  not  again  take  up  arms  during  the  war 
between  the  United  States  and  Mexico,  but  will  assist  and  aid  in  placing  the  country  in 
a  state  of  peace  and  tranquillity. 

ARTICLE  2.  The  commissioners  on  the  part  of  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  agree  and 
bind  themselves,  on  the  fulfilment  of  the  first  article  by  the  Californians,  that  they  shall  be 
guarantied  protection  of  life  and  property,  whether  on  parole  or  otherwise. 

ARTICLE  3.  That  until  a  treaty  of  peace  be  made  and  signed  between  the  United 
States  of  North  America  and  the  Republic  of  Mexico,  no  Californian  or  other  Mexican 
citizen  shall  be  bound  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance. 

ARTICLE  4.  That  any  Californian  or  other  citizen  of  Mexico  desiring,  is  permitted  by 
this  capitulation  to  leave  the  country  without  let  or  hindrance. 

ARTICLE  5.  That  in  virtue  of  the  aforesaid  articles,  equal  rights  and  privileges  are 
vouchsafed  to  every  citizen  of  California  as  are  enjoyed  by  the  citizens  of  the  United  States 
of  North  America. 

ARTICLE  6.  All  officers,  citizens,  foreigners,  or  others,  shall  receive  the  protection  gua 
rantied  by  the  2d  article. 

ARTICLE  7.  This  capitulation  is  intended  to  be  no  bar  in  effecting  such  arrangements 
as  may  in  future  be  in  justice  required  by  both  parties. 

P.  B.  READING,  Major  California  Battalion. 
WM.  H.  RUSSELL,  Ord.  officer  of  California  Bat. 
LOUIS  McLANE,  Jr.,  Command'g  Jlrt.,  California  Bat. 
JOSE  ANTO.  CARILLO,  Commandante  de  Escuadron. 
AUGUSTINE  OLVERA,  Deputado. 
Approved:  JOHN  C.  FREMONT, 

Lt.  Col.  U.  S.  A.  and  Military  Commander  of  California. 
Approbado:  ANDRES  PICO, 

Com.  de  Escuadron  en  gefe  de  las  fuerzas  nacionales  en  California. 

ADDITIONAL  ARTICLE. 

That  the  paroles  of  all  officers,  citizens,  and  others  of  the  United  States,  and  of  natural 
ized  citizens  of  Mexico,  are  by  this  foregoing  capitulation  cancelled,  and  every  condition 
of  said  paroles  from  and  after  this  date,  are  of  no  farther  force  and  effect,  and  all  prisoners 
of  both  parties  are  hereby  released. 
Cuidad  de  los  dngelos,  Jan.  16,  1847. 

P.  B.  READING,  Major  California  Battalion. 
.      WM.  H.  RUSSELL;  Ord.  officer  of  California  Bat. 

LOUIS  McLANE,  Jr.,  Command'g  Art.,  California  Bat. 
JOSE  ANTO.  CARILLO,  Commandante  de  Escuadron. 
AUGUSTINE  OLVERA,  Deputado. 
Approved:  JOHN  C.  FREMONT, 

Lt.  Col.  U.  S.  A.,  and  Military  Commander  of  California. 
Approbado:  ANDRES  PICO, 

Com.  de  Escuadron  en  gefe  de  las  fuerzas  nacionales  en  Calif ornias. 

[TRANSLATION.] 

Civil  and  military  government  of  the  Department  of  California. 

The  undersigned,  governor  and  commandant-general  of  the  department  and  commander- 
in-chief  of  the  national  troops,  has  the  honour  to  address  himself  to  the  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  naval  and  land  forces  of  the  United  States  of  North  America,  to  say  that  he 
has  been  informed  by  persons  worthy  of  credit,  that  it  is  probable  at  this  time  the  differences 
which  have  altered  the  relations  of  friendship  between  the  Mexican  republic  and  that  of 
the  United  States  of  North  America  have  ceased,  and  that  you  looked  for  the  news  of  the 
ai'rangement  between  the  two  governments  by  the  schooner  Shark,  expected  every  moment 
on  this  coast. 

A  number  of  days  have  elapsed  since  the  undersigned  was  invited  by  several  foreign 


44  .  CAUSE   OF  THE  INSURRECTION. 

gentlemen  settled  in  the  country  to  enter  into  a  communication  with  you,  they  acting  as 
mediators,  to  obtain  an  honorable  adjustment  for  both  forces,  in  consequence  of  the  evils 
which  all  feel  are  caused  by  the  unjust  war  you  wage ;  but  the  duty  of  the  undersigned 
prohibited  him  from  doing  so,  and  if  to-day  he  steps  beyond  the  limits  marked  out  by  it,  it 
is  with  the  confidence  inspired  by  the  hope  that  there  exists  a  definite  arrangement  between 
the  two  nations ;  for  the  undersigned  being  animated  with  the  strongest  wishes  for  the  return 
of  peace,  it  would  be  most  painful  to  him  not  to  have  taken  the  means  to  avoid  the 
useless  effusion  of  human  blood  and  its  terrible  consequences,  during  moments  when  the 
general  peace  might  have  been  secured. 

The  undersigned  flatters  himself  with  this  hope,  and  for  that  reason  has  thought  it 
opportune  to  direct  to  you  this  note,  which  will  be  placed  in  your  hands  by  Messrs. 
Julian  Workman  and  Charles  Flugc,  who  have  voluntarily  offered  themselves  to  act  as 
mediators.  But  if,  unfortunately,  the  mentioned  news  should  prove  untrue,  and  you 
should  not  be  disposed  to  grant  a  truce  to  the  evils  under  which  this  unfortunate  coun 
try  suffers,  of  which  you  alone  are  the  cause,  may  the  terrible  consequences  of  your  want 
of  consideration  fall  on  your  head.  The  citizens,  all  of  whom  compose  the  national 
forces  of  this  department,  are  decitJed  firmly  to  bury  themselves  under  the  ruins  of  their 
country,  combating  to  the  last  moment,  before  consenting  to  the  tyranny  and  ominous 
discretionary  power  of  the  agents  of  the  government  of  the  United  States  of  North  America. 

This  is  no  problem;  different  deeds  of  arms  prove  that  they  know  how  to  defend 
their  rights  on  the  field  of  battle. 

The  undersigned  still  believes  you  will  give  a  satisfactory  solution  to  this  affair,  and 
in  the  mean  time  has  the  honour  of  offering  to  you  the  assurance  of  his  consideration  aud 
private  esteem.  God  and  Liberty  ! 

Head-quarters  at  tlie  Angelas,  January  1, 1847.  JOSE  MA.  FLORES. 

The  following  copy  of  a  letter,  written  by  T.  O.  Larkin,  Esq.,  late  U.  S. 
Consul  at  Monterey,  California,  is  annexed  to  the  reports  of  General  Kearny 
and  Captain  Stockton,  as  part  of  the  history  of  the  transactions  of  Alta  Cali 
fornia  ;  and  also,  that  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  Larkin  may  be  understood  in 
reference  to  the  rising  of  the  Mexican  population  in  California,  of  which  he 
states — "  That  this  was  caused  more  by  the  severe  treatment  they  received 
from  him"  (the  American  naval  commander,)  "  than  from  any  desire  to 
change  flags  again  /" 

City  of  the  Angels,  California,  January  15,  1847. 

DEAH  SIR, — On  a  journey  from  Monterey  to  San  Francisco,  in  November,  without  any 
escort,  I  was  taken  out  of  my  bed  at  midnight,  twenty-five  miles  from  Monterey,  and  hur 
ried  down  to  this  place,  (four  hundred  miles,)  on  the  best  horses  my  captors  could  pick  up 
on  the  road. 

On  my  reaching  this  town,  I  found  the  whole  country  in  arms.  They  had  forced  the 
American  commandant  and  his  fifty  nlen  to  leave  the  place,  and  take  shipping.  This  was 
caused  more  by  the  severe  treatment  they  received  from  him,  than  from  any  desire  to 
change  flags  again.  They  were  not  accustomed  to  military  laws,  and  had  revolted. 

On  reaching  the  general  cuartel  of  this  place,  I  was  received  by  the  second  in  com 
mand,  who  said  my  capture  was  of  the  utmost  importance  to  the  Californians,  and  that  he 
must  take  every  care  of  my  safety.  Visiters  would  be  allowed  to  enter,  with  whom  I  could 
converse  only  in  Spanish,  and  in  presence  of  an  officer.  I  found  that  the  Mexicans  and 
Californians  watched  each  other  as  they  paid  their  visits ;  even  the  General,  a  Mexican, 
was  not  allowed  by  the  natives  to  be  alone  with  me.  He  at  one  time  made  much  exertion 
to  talk  with  me  alone,  but  two  officers  prevented  it. 

The  second  in  command,  on  showing  me  my  rooms,  offered  his  services  to  me  in  every 
possible  manner,  and  immediately  sent  me  bedding,  furniture  and  spirits.  On  learning  my 
hours  of  eating,  and  mode  and  taste  of  my  meals,  his  lady  supplied  me  accordingly.  The 
General  despatched  clothes  for  my  use,  offered  to  send  my  meals  and  money  whenever  I 
required  it  During  the  week  the  Mexicans  wished  to  send  me  and  twenty  other  Ameri 
cans  to  Sonora,  thence  to  Mexico.  [These  were  in  the  same  house,  but  not  allowed  to 
speak  with  me.]  I  prepared  for  the  journey,  and  gave  the  native  officers  to  understand, 
that  our  forces  would  soon  enter  this  town,  and  if  Commodore  Stockton  should  find 
we  were  carried  out  of  the  country,  some  of  them  must  expect  to  go  around  Cape 
Horn.  A  revolution  took  place  among  them — the  General  had  to  give  up  his  plan. 


LIEUTENANT  TALBOT'S  LETTER.  45 

As  the  American  forces  from  San  Diego,  under  Commodore  Stockton  and  Genernl 
Kearny,  and  our  other  forces  from  Monterey,  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  drew  nigh 
to  this  city,  the  American  prisoners  who  had  families  were  set  at  liberty  one  by  one,  (it 
was  supposed  they  would  be  carried  on  the  field,)  before  the  Californians  marched  out  to 
meet  the  American  forces,  on  security  of  a  friend  or  on  parole.  On  the  9th,  while  the 
commodore  and  the  natives  were  fighting  their  second  battle,  three  miles  from  this,  I  was 
sent  for  and  carried  on  the  field.  By  three  in  the  afternoon,  the  battle  was  over  ;  the  Cali 
fornians  were  riding  in  every  direction  backward  and  forward,  yet  not  dispersed.  The 
Americans  were  pursuing  their  way  without  moving  to  the  right  or  the  left,  but  in  a  solid 
square,  on  which  good  riders  and  fleet  horses  could  make  no  impression.  I  rode  up  to  the 
Mexican  commander  to  know  why  I  was  sent  for.  After  making  his  reasons  known  to 
me,  and  excuses  why  for  two  months  he  had  been  in  arms,  he  ordered  a  junto  of  officers 
to  decide  what  should  be  done  with  me.  In  the  mean  time,  arrived  a  short  proclamation 
from  the  mother-in-law  of  one  of  the  chief  officers,  addressed  to  her  countrymen,  inform 
ing  them,  as  they  valued  the  safety  of  their  families,  to  return  me  to  the  place  they  took 
me  from,  which  was  done  at  night— -the  general  sending  me  home. 

On  the  10th  instant,  our  forces,  under  Commodore  Stockton,  entered  the  place;  and 
400  of  my  countrymen  and  scores  of  friendly  hands  were  made  welcome.  Some  of  the 
discharged  prisoners  had  again  been  taken  up  to-day,  without  any  loss  of  one  of  them ; 
they  are  all  here.  Colonel  Fremont  and  his  forces  have  also  marched  into  town.  Every 
thing  appears  now  well  and  peaceable.  The  Californians  having  risen  since  the  commo 
dore  and  the  colonel  took  the  country  in  July  and  August,  and  again  given  up,  are  satis 
fied  with  their  efforts,  and  will  hardly  try  again,  if  the  troops  are  on  the  way,  of  which  we 
hear.  I  am  yours,  &c.,  THOMAS  O.  LARKIN, 

Late  United  States  Consul,  Monterey,  California. 

The  following  extract  of  a  letter,  written  by  Lieut.  Theodore  Talbot,  is 
also  given  a  place  here,  as  containing  information  worthy  of  record : 

City  of  the  Jlngels,  California,  January  15,  1847. 

Since  last  I  wrote  you  I  have  had  an  active  life.  Colonel  Fremont  left  the  City  of  the 
Angels  in  September,  under  command  of  Capt.  A.  H.  Gillespie,  with  thirty  odd  riflemen, 
the  commodore  having  entirely  withdrawn  his  forces  and  proceeded  with  his  squadron  to 
San  Francisco.  We  moved  to  the  north,  the  colonel  having  with  him  only  some  forty 
men,  (his  old  party,)  the  rest  of  the  force  having  in  part  preceded  us,  and  part  been  dis 
banded,  with  the  exception  of  two  small  parties  stationed  south  of  the  City  of  the  Angels. 
I  was  left  as  military  commandant  of  the  town  and  jurisdiction  of  Santa  Barbara,  a  pretty 
place  lying  on  the  ocean  one  hundred  miles  north  of  the  City  of  the  Angels,  and  the  prin 
cipal  town  between  that  place  and  Monterey.  There  were  only  nine  men  left  with  me,  it 
being  the  colonel's  intention  to  recruit  at  the  north,  and  return  immediately.  The  Prefect, 
the  principal  civil  authority  of  the  southern  department,  resided  there,  and  I  was  left  for 
the  purpose  of  supporting  him.  My  position  was  a  very  pleasant  one ;  Santa  Barbara  be 
ing  the  residence  of  some  of  the  stateliest  Dons  and  pretty  Senoras  in  all  California.  I  had 
been  here,  however,  but  a  few  days  when  I  received  a  correo,  post  haste  from  Captain  Gil 
lespie,  bringing  news  of  a  rebellion  in  the  south — the  City  of  the  Angels  being  surrounded 
by  500  of  the  Californians  under  arms.  The  courier  had  barely  escaped  with  his  life,  and 
brought  me  Gillespie's  motto  seal,  concealed  in  a  cigarita,  to  vouch  for  the  truth  of  what 
he  told.  Having  warned  me,  he  hurried  on  to  the  north  to  give  this  news  to  the  colonel 
and  commodore.  I  spent  several  anxious  days — every  moment  expecting  to  be  attacked  in 
my  barracks ;  hearing  only  through  the  women,  who,  noble  and  disinterested  always  in  the 
hour  of  need,  would  give  me  such  little  information  as  they  could  obtain  with  regard  to  the 
motions  of  the  insurgents. 

Here  let  me  remark,  that  nothing  has  surprised  me  so  much,  in  my  little  intercourse  with 
the  Mexicans,  as  the  humanity  and  charity  of  the  women,  as  compared  with  the  almost 
brutal  ferocity  of  the  men.  irou  will  recollect  that  Kendall  sustains  the  same  opinion  with 
reference  to  the  Santa  Fe  expedition. 

Although  my  position  was  very  precarious,  I  kept  a  firm  upper  lip,  in  order  to  keep  down 
ihe  people  of  Santa  Barbara,  which  has  some  seventy  fighting  men,  and  several  resident 
Mexican  officers,  until  aid  could  be  received  from  the  north.  I  succeeded  in  this  until  the 
City  of  the  Angels  was  taken,  and  Gillespie  forced  to  capitulate.  Manuel  Garpis,  the  com 
mander,  then  marched  with  two  hundred  men  on  Santa  Barbara.  They  surrounded  the 


46  LIEUTENANT  TALBOT'S  LETTER. 

town,  and  sent  in  a  letter  demanding  my  surrender,  and  guarantying  our  lives,  &c.,  &c. 
They  gave  us  two  hours  to  deliberate.  We  had  all  determined  not  to  surrender  our  arms ; 
and,  finding  the  place  we  then  occupied  untenable,  with  so  small  a  force,  we  determined 
to  push  for  the  hills,  (our  best  ground  for  fighting,)  or  die  in  the  attempt.  I  accordingly 
marshaled  my  little  force,  and  marched  out  of  the  town  without  opposition — those  who  lay 
on  the  road  retreating  to  the  main  force  which  was  on  the  lower  side  of  the  town.  The 
few  foreigners  living  in  the  town  dared  not  assist  me;  andtJie  Californians,  all  of  course, 
iook  arms  against.  t*s.  Having  so  unexpectedly  been  allowed  to  pass  their  force,  I  camped 
in  the  hills  overlooking  the  town,  and  determined  to  remain  there  a  few  dayg,  and  co-operate 
with  any  force  which  might  be  landed  at  Santa  Barbara.  I  remained  here  eight  days,  when 
the  Californians,  having  discovered  my  whereabouts,  finally  determined  to  route  me  out. 
Not  knowing  my  exact  position,  they  had  divided  into  two  or  three  parties;  and  one  of 
them,  consisting  of  some  forty  men,  happened  to  strike  upon  the  very  spot  where  T  was. 
I  was  aware  of  their  coming,  and  had  given  my  men  orders  not  to  fire  until  they  were  in 
among  us.  But  my  men  were  so  eager  to  get  a  shot,  that  two  of  them  who  were  posted  in 
the  arroyo  or  ravine,  nearest  the  enemy,  forgetting  my  instructions,  fired  just  as  they  came 
marching  in  on  us.  They  had  fired  too  far  for  their  own  shots  even  to  be  effective,  killing 
only  the  horse  of  one,  and  wounding  the  horse  and  grazing  the  hip  of  another  of  the  enemy. 
But  the  Californians  fled,  nor  would  they  again  come  within  reach  of  our  rifles,  pouring  a 
fire  from  their  long  carbines  from  the  neighbouring  hills.  They  sent  a  foreigner  to  me, 
offering  to  allow  me  to  retain  my  arms  and  freedom,  giving  my  parole  of  honour  not  to 
interfere  farther  in  the  war  about  to  be  waged. 

I  sent  the  man  back  with  word  that  I  preferred  to  fight.  Finding  I  would  not  give  up, 
they  put  fire  in  all  round  me,  and  succeeded  in  burning  me  out.  I  eluded  them,  however ; 
and  after  lingering  another  day,  in  hopes  that  a  force  would  arrive,  I  determined  to  push 
for  Monterey.  I  came  down  on  a  rancho,  called  San  Marco,  where  we  got  something  to 
eat,  for  we  had  been  starving  for  several  days.  We  were  also  so  fortunate  as  to  find  an 
old  soldier  of  General  Micheltorena,  who  was  naturally  inimical  to  the  Californians.  He 
piloted  us  across  the  coast  mountain,  which  is  here  ninety  miles  wide,  and  very  rugged, 
into  the  head  of  the  Tule  valley  to  the  Lake  of  Buena  Vista.  Here  I  was  familiar  with 
the  country,  and  after  a  month's  travel,  coming  some  500  miles,  mostly  afoot,  enduring 
much  hardship  and  suffering,  we  at  length  effected  a  junction  with  Colonel  Fremont  at 
Monterey. 

They  were  all  very  glad  to  see  us,  for  they  certainly  thought  we  were  all  killed.  In  fact, 
the  Californians  had  circulated  that  report.  You  must  excuse  me  for  dwelling  on  my  little 
adventure ;  for  the  fact  is,  I  suffered  more  from  downright  starvation,  cold,  nakedness,  and 
every  sort  of  privation,  than  in  any  trip  I  have  yet  had  to  make,  and  I  have  had  some  rough 
ones.  Colonel  Fremont  had  started  from  San  Francisco  in  the  ship  Sterling;  but  after 
being  out  twenty  days,  and  much  bad  weather,  he  was  compelled  to  put  into  Monterey.  I 
found  him  recruiting  more  men  from  the  new  emigrants,  and  preparing  to  go  by  land  to  the 
south.  A  day  or  two  after  I  arrived,  a  part  of  two  companies,  under  command  of  Captains 
Burrows  and  Thompson,  were  attacked  by  the  Californians,  eighty  in  number,  the  Ameri 
cans  having  fifty-seven;  they  fought — four  Americans  were  killed,  and  three  Californians. 
Captain  Burrows  was  among  the  killed.  We  marched  to  their  assistance,  to  the  mission 
of  St.  John's,  from  which  place  they  were  afraid  to  move,  as  they  had  a  cavallada  of  400 
head  of  horses.  We  left  St.  John's  for  the  south  the  26th  of  November,  and  arrived  at 
San  Fernando  on  the  llth  of  January. 

This  place  is  twenty-five  miles  from  the  City  of  the  Angels,  which  we  heard  the  com 
modore  and  General  Kearny,  with  700  men,  were  in  possession  of.  The  commander  of 
the  Californians,  Don  Andres  Pico,  finding  it  impolitic  to  wage  the  war  further,  sent  a  de 
putation  of  his  officers  offering  to  surrender  to  Colonel  Fremont.  Their  surrender  was 
accepted,  and  we  marched  into  the  city  on  the  14th  of  January.  The  volunteer  force  was 
soon  disbanded,  and  I  will  have  a  chance  of  returning  home,  I  hope.  *  *  *  * 

THEODORE  TALBOT. 

The  difficulty  which  occurred  in  Alta  California,  in  reference  to  the  right 
ful  governor  under  the  American  flag,  was  not  only  made  manifest  in  the 
style  and  manner  of  the  reports  of  the  military  and  naval  commanders  ;  but 
the  evidence  of  its  existence,  and  of  the  irreconcilable  character  of  the  dif 
ferences  between  the  two  commanders,  has  come  home  to  the  people  of  the 
United  States  in  a  variety  of  ways  ;  and  no  doubt  a  set  of  charges  preferred 


COLONEL  FREMONT'S  EXPLANATION.  47 

by  either  party,  would  bring  out  a  masterly  development  of  the  manner  in 
\vhich  our  "free  government"  has  been  extended,  and  its  blessings  disse 
minated—and  its  growth  encouraged  and  supported,  (with  the  aid  of  the 
shackles  and  bayonets  of  General  Kearny,  and  the  cat-o'nine-tails  of  Cap 
tain  Stockton,)  in  the  El  Dorado  of  North  America.*  The  following  exam 
ple  of  what  might  be  shown,  is  an  extract  of  a  letter  written  by  Lieut.  Col. 
John  C.  Fremont,  and  communicated  by  the  Hon.  Thomas  H.  Benton  to 
the  editor  of  the  St.  Louis  Union  newspaper,  for  publication  : 

"  Both  offered  me  the  commission  and  post  of  governor — the  one  ("Commodore  Stockton) 
immediately  to  redeem  his  pledge  of  last  fall;  the  other  (General  Kearny)  offering  to  give 
the  commission  in  four  or  six  weeks.  You  are  aware  that  I  had  been  acting  since  last  fall 
under  a  commission  from  Commodore  Stockton.  My  battalion,  then  with  me,  was  raised 
under  that  commission.  On  arriving  at  Los  Angelos,  I  found  Commodore  Stockton  in 
supreme  command.  General  Kearny  also  told  me,  on  the  day  of  my  arrival,  that  he  had 
served  under  Commodore  Stockton  as  the  commander-in-chief,  and  did  actually  acknow 
ledge  him  to  be  the  governor  of  California.  Some  three  or  four  days  after  my  arrival, 
Commodore  Stockton  ordered  me,  in  arranging  my  affairs,  to  take  charge  of  the  govern 
ment,  and  to  re-organize  the  battalion  which  I  commanded.  In  the  evening,  General 
Kearny  sent  me  a  written  order  through  his  adjutant-general,  forbidding  me  to  do  so.  I 
immediately  waited  on  the  governor,  who  showed  me  a  letter  just  received  from  General 
Kearny,  requiring  him  forthwith  to  discontinue  his  acts  and  relinquish  his  authority  as 
governor.  Commodore  Stockton  exhibited  to  me  his  reply,  in  which  he  suspended  Gene 
ral  Kearny  from  all  military  command  in  this  country.  I  would  not  decide  between  them, 
and  determined  to  remain  on  my  old  ground.  In  the  morning,  I  replied  to  General  Kear 
ny — recapitulating  the  occurrences  of  the  last  half  year,  and  respectfully  declared  my  inten 
tion  to  obey,  as  heretofore,  the  order  of  Commodore  Stockton.  When  they  settle  the 
question  of  rank  in  command,  I  will  conform.  Much  of  the  onus  (burden)  has  been 
thrown  upon  me,  and  my  situation  is  difficult.  While  they  are  disputing  for  command, 
(both  gentlemen  having  gone  to  San  Diego  and  Monterey),  I  am  left  here  without  the 
means  of  carrying  on  the  government,  with  an  insurrectionary  people  to  control,  with  500 
volunteers  who  are  anxious  to  see  their  families,  and  to  whom  we  owe  $50,000 — with  the 
border  Indians  in  movement,  and  without  a  dollar  to  satisfy  any  demand."  A  postscript 

*  While  at  Santa  Fe,  General  Kearjiy  issued  a  proclamation  granting  naturalization  to 
all  of  the  people  of  New  Mexico,  including  Negros,  Indians,  Meslidos,  Sambos,  and 
Mulattos.  In  California  he  seems  to  have  considered  himself  equally  the  embodiment  of 
the  Constitution,  Congress,  and  even  government  dc  facto,  under  the  style  and  title  of  Dic 
tator,  as  the  following,  from  a  California  newspaper,  exhibits : 

DECREE    OF    GOVERNOR    KEARXY. 

"  I,  Brig.  Gen.  Stephen  W.  Kearny,  Governor  of  California,  by  virtue  of  authority  in  me 
vested  by  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  America,  do  hereby  grant,  convey  and  re 
lease  unto  the  town  of  San  Francisco,  the  people,  or  corporate  authorities  thereof,  all  the 
right,  title,  and  interest  of  the  government  of  the  United  States,  and  of  the  territory  of 
California,  in  and  to  the  beach  and  water  lots  on  the  east  front  of  said  town  of  Sari  Fran 
cisco,  included  between  the  points  known  as  the  Rincon  and  Fort  Montgomery,  excepting 
such  lots  as  may  be  selected  for  the  use  of  the  United  States  government  by  the  senior 
officers  of  the  army  and  navy  now  there ;  provided,  the  said  ground  hereby  ceded  shall  be 
divided  into  lots,  and  sold  by  public  auction  to  the  highest  bidder,  after  three  months'  no 
tice  previously  given — the  proceeds  of  said  sale  to  be  for  the  benefit  of  the  town  of  San 
Francisco. 

"  Given  at  Monterey,  capital  of  California,  this  10th  day  of  March,  1847,  and  the  seventy- 
first  year  of  the  Independence  of  the  United  States. 

«  STEPHEN  W.  KEARNY, 
Brigadier-general  and  Governor  of  California." 

The  lands  pretended  to  have  been  granted  by  the  above  decree,  were  granted  to  private 
individuals  by  the  government  of  Spain,  more  than  two  hundred  years  ago ;  and,  therefore, 
"  the  right,  title,  and  interest  of  the  United  States"  cannot  be  much;  and  if  it  was,  the 
deed,  or  decree  of  General  Kearny  could  not  convey  it — nor  even  the  President  himself, 
excepting  by  authority  of  Congress. 


48  STEVENSON'S  REGIMENT. 

letter  of  the  19th  of  February,  adds :  "  Since  the  date  of  my  last,  Commodore  Shubrick 
has  arrived,  and  with  him  a  part  of  the  force  intended  for  this  country.  The  remainder 
are  daily  expected.  General  Kearny  has  gone  north,  and  has  held  a  consultation  with 
Commodore  Shubrick.  The  result  seems  to  be,  from  what  I  learn,  that  no  move,  which 
they  consider  as  important,  will  be  made  until  the  pleasure  of  the  President  is  known. 
Commodore  Shubrick,  as  you  will  see  by  papers  which  I  send,  is,  in  effect,  governor  in  the 
north — a  fact  not  entirely  consistent  with  the  denial  of  Commodore  Stockton's  right,"  &c. 

Thus  has  been  the  beginning,  but  not  the  end,  of  the  difficulties  which 
are  to  exist  in  the  administration  of  the  present  government  of  Alta  Cali 
fornia  ;  and  the  past  and  present  is  but  a  speck  of  the  contentions  and  disa 
greements  which  are  to  disgrace  the  American  flag  and  to  degrade  the  in 
stitutions  of  our  country,  and  thus  to  render  republicanism  a  burlesque  and 
freedom  a  mockery,  so  long  as  the  unnecessary  and  improvident  military 
occupation,  taken  by  the  government  at  Washington,  of  the  distant  and 
comparatively  uninhabited  provinces  of  Mexico  shall  be  continued. 

The  following  copy  of  a  letter  from  the  Secretary  of  War  to  General 
Kearny,  announces  the  organization  of  Stevenson's  California  regiment : 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  Washington,  December  12,  1846. 

SIR, — A  volunteer  regiment,  raised  in  the  State  of  New  York,  engaged  to  serve  during 
the  war  with  Mexico,  and  to  be  discharged,  wherever  they  may  be,  at  its  termination,  if  in 
a  territory  of  the  United  States,  has  been  mustered  into  service,  and  is  about  to  embark  at 
the  port  of  New  York,  for  California.  This  force  is  to  be  a  part  of  your  command ;  but, 
as  it  may  reach  the  place  of  its  destination  before  you  are  in  a  condition  to  subject  it  to 
your  orders,  the  colonel  of  the  regiment,  J.  D.  Stevenson,  has  been  furnished  with  instruc 
tions  for  his  conduct  in  the  mean  time.  I  herewith  send  you  a  copy  thereof,  as  well  as  a 
copy  of  the  instructions  of  the  Navy  Department  to  the  commander  of  the  naval  squadron 
in  the  Pacific ;  a  copy  of  a  letter  to  General  Taylor,  with  a  circular  from  the  Treasury 
Department ;  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  General  Scott  to  Captain  Tompkins  ;  and  a  copy  of 
general  regulations  relative  to  the  respective  rank  of  naval  and  army  officers.  These,  so 
far  as  applicable,  will  be  looked  upon  in  the  light  of  instructions  to  yourself.  The  depart 
ment  is  exceedingly  desirous  to  be  furnished  by  you  with  full  information  of  your  progress 
and  proceedings,  together  with  your  opinion  and  views  as  to  your  movements  into  Cali 
fornia,  having  reference  as  to  time,  route,  &c.  &c.  Beyond  the  regiment  under  the  com 
mand  of  Col.  S.  Price,  and  the  separate  battalion  caHed  for  at  the  same  time  by  the  Presi 
dent  from  the  governor  of  Missouri,  a  requisition-  for  one  regiment  of  infantry  was  issued 
on  the  18th  of  July  last;  but  the  information  subsequently  received  here  induced  the  belief 
that  it  would  not  be  needed,  and  the  difficulty  of  passing  it  over  the  route  at  so  late  a  period 
in  the  season,  with  the  requisite  quantity  of  supplies,  &c.,  was  deemed  so  great  that  the 
orders  to  muster  it  into  service  have  been  countermanded.  It  will  not  be  sent.  Your 
views  as  to  the  sufficiency  of  your  force,  and  the  practicability  of  sustaining  a  larger  one, 
&c.,  are  desired.  I  am,  with  great  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 

WILLIAM  L.  MARCY,  Secretary  of  War. 

Gen.  STEPHEN  W.  KEARNY,  Fort  Leavenworth,  Missouri. 

The  belief  seems  to  have  prevailed  with  the  Secretary  of  War,  that  Ste 
venson,  with  his  California  regiment,  would  have  arrived  in  Alta  California 
before  General  Kearny  could  have  entered  the  country  to  assume  the  com- 
mand-in-chief.  But  very  different  was  the  result  of  their  movements. 
General  Kearny  arrived  in  Alta  California  on  the  2d  of  December,  1846, 
and  Stevenson  not  until  the  3d  of  March,  1847,  three  full  months  after 
wards.  The  company  of  United  States  Artillery,  commanded  by  Captain 
Tompkins,  is  understood  to  have  arrived  some  time  previous  to  the  date  of 
Stevenson's  arrival. 


GENERAL  SCOTT'S  LETTER  TO  CAPTABN  TOMPKINS.        49 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

General  Scott's  Letter  to  Captain  Tompkins — Stevenson's  Commission  actually  void — Mr 
Secretary  Marcy  to  J.  D.  Stevenson — Jl  Glance  at  Mexico — Its  People  and  its  Government 
—Her  future  Prospects  as  a  Nation — Texas  and  Slavery,  fyc. 

THE  following  is  a  copy  of  the  communication  of  General  Scott,  addressed 
to  Captain  Tompkins,  referred  to  in  the  letter  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  a 
copy  of  which  is  contained  in  the  preceding  chapter : 

[Confidential.] 
HEAD-atrARTERS  OF  THE  ARMT,  Washington,  June  20,  1846. 

Sin, — As  the  commander  of  a  company  of  the  3d  artillery,  you  have  been  ordered  to 
embark  with  the  same  on  board  of  the  United  States  ship,  the  Lexington,  now  lying  in  the 
harbour  of  New  York,  and  bound  to  the  west  coast  of  America. 

I  am  now  to  inform  you  that,  with  your  company,  you  are  destined  to  act  in  conjunction 
with  the  United  States  naval  forces  in  the  Pacific  against  the  Republic  of  Mexico,  with 
which  we  are  at  war.  The  commander  of  that  squadron  may  desire  to  capture  and  to  hold 
certain  important  points,  as  Monterey,  and  towns  or  posts  in  San  Francisco  bay.  The 
company  under  your  command  may  be  needed  for  both  purposes,  and  you  will,  on  con 
sultation,  give  your  co-operation. 

It  is  not  intended  to  place  you  under  the  orders,  strictly  speaking,  of  any  naval  officer, 
no  matter  how  high  in  rank.  That  would  be  illegal,  or  at  least  without  the  authority  of 
any  law ;  but  you  will  be  held  responsible,  when  associated  in  service,  whether  on  land  or 
water,  with  any  naval  officer,  without  regard  to  relative  rank,  to  co-operate  in  perfect  har 
mony,  and  with  zeal  and  efficiency.  Great  confidence  is  reposed  in  you  in  those  respects, 
as  also  in  your  intelligence,  judgment,  temper,  and  prowess.  See,  in  this  connection,  para 
graphs  24,  25,  and  26,  in  the  old  General  Regulations  for  the  jtrmy,  (edition  of  1825,)  a 
copy  of  which  book  I  handed  to  you  in  my  office. 

Your  condition,  and  that  of  your  company,  on  board  the  Lexington,  commanded  by 
Lieutenant ,  of  the  navy,  or  other  United  States  vessel  to  which  you  may  be  trans 
ferred,  will  be  that  of  passengers,  not  marines;  but  in  the  event  of  the  ship  finding  herself 
in  action,  you  and  the  company  under  your  command  will  not  fail  to  show  yourselves  at 
least  as  efficient  as  any  equal  number  of  marines  whatsoever.  In  such  case,  again,  the 
utmost  harmony,  upon  consultation,  would  be  indispensable ;  and  in  no  case  will  you  fail, 
so  far  as  it  may  depend  upon  your  best  exertions,  to  conciliate  such  harmony. 

On  the  landing  of  the  ordnance  and  ordnance  stores  belonging  to  the  army,  placed  on 
board  of  the  Lexington,  you  will  take  charge  of  the  same,  unless  you  should  be  joined  for 
that  purpose  by  an  ordnance  officer,  in  which  case  you  will  give  him  aid  and  assistance  in 
that  duty. 

On  effecting  a  successful  landing  in  the  enemy's  country,  it  may  be  necessary,  after  con 
sultation  with  the  naval  commander,  as  above,  and  with  his  assistance,  to  erect  and  defend 
one  or  more  forts,  in  order  to  hold  the  conquered  place  or  places.  In  such  service  you  will 
be  in  your  proper  element. 

It  is  proper  that  I  should  add,  you  may  find  on  the  north-west  coast  an  army  officer,  with 
higher  rank  than  your  own,  when,  of  course,  you  will  report  to  him  by  letter,  and,  if  ashore, 
come  under  his  command. 

It  is  known  that  you  have  made  requisitions  for  all  the  proper  supplies  which  may  be 
needed  by  your  company,  for  a  considerable  time  after  landing.  Further  supplies,  which 
may  not  be  sent  after  you  from  this  side  of  the  continent,  you  will,  when  ashore,  in  the 
absence  of  a  naval  force,  and  in  the  absence  of  a  higher  officer  of  the  army,  have  to  pur 
chase  on  the  other  side ;  but  always  in  strict  conformity  with  regulations.  On  board,  it  is 
understood  that  your  company  will  be  subsisted  from  the  stores  of  the  ship  or  navy. 

Should  you  not  come  under  the  orders  of  an  army  officer,  or  should  you  not  be  landed 
by  the  naval  commander,  as  above,  you  will  remain  on  board  of  the  squadron,  and  be  sent 
home  on  some  ship  of  the  same. 

7  E 


50  DESIGNS  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT, 

I  need  scarcely  add  that,  afloat  or  ashore,  you  will  always  maintain  the  most  exact  disci 
pline  in  your  company,  for  the  honour  of  the  army  and  country,  and  never  neglect  to  make, 
in  the  absence  of  an  army  superior,  to  the  adjutant-general,  the  stated  reports  required  by 
regulations,  besides  special  reports  on  all  subjects  of  interest. 

WINFIELD  SCOTT. 

To  1st  Lieut  C.  Q.  TOMPKINS,  (now  Captain,)  3d  Artillery. 

[Extract  from  the  General  Regulations  of  the  Army — -edition  of  1825.] 
ARTICLE  6. — Relative  rank  and  precedence  of  land  and  sea  officers. 

24.  The  military  officers  of  the  land  and  sea  services  of  the  United  States  shall  rank 
together  as  follows :   1st.  A  lieutenant  of  the  navy  with  captains  of  the  army.     2d.  A  mas 
ter  commandant  with  majors.     3d.  A  captain  of  the  navy,  from  the  date  of  his  commission, 
with  lieutenant-colonels.     4th.  Five  years  thereafter  with  colonels.     5th.  Ten  years  there 
after,  with  brigadier-generals ;  and  6th.  Fifteen  years  after  the  date  of  his  commission,  with 
major-generals.     But,  should  there  be  created  in  the  navy  the  rank  of  rear-admiral,  then 
such  rank  only  shall  be  considered  equal  to  that  of  major-general. 

25.  Nothing  in  the  preceding  paragraph  shall  authorize  a  land  officer  to  command  any 
United  States  vessel  or  navy  yard ;  nor  any  sea  officer  to  command  any  part  of  the  army 
on  land ;  neither  shall  an  officer  of  the  one  service  have  a  right  to  demand  any  compliment, 
on  the  score  of  rank,  from  an  officer  of  the  other  service. 

26.  Land  troops  serving  on  board  a  United  States  vessel  as  marines,  shall  be  subject  to 
the  orders  of  the  sea  officer  in  command  thereof.    Other  land  troops,  embarked  on  board  such 
vessels  for  transportation  merely,  will  be  considered,  in  respect  to  the  naval  commanders,  as 
passengers ;  subject,  nevertheless,  to  the  internal  regulations  of  the  vessels. 

The  letter  of  instructions  from  the  Secretary  of  War  to  Jonathan  D.  Ste 
venson,  colonel  of  the  California  regiment,  a  copy  of  which  follows,  is  a 
document  important  for  consideration,  as  disclosing,  in  the  frankest  terms, 
the  designs  of  the  present  administration  of  the  government  at  Washington. 
In  this  it  is  disclosed,  that  notwithstanding  the  oft-repeated  declaration  of  the 
President,  that  "  every  honourable  effort  had  been  used  by  him  to  avoid  the 
war ;"  and  that  "  it  had  not  been  waged  with  a  view  to  conquest ;"  but, 
having  been  commenced  by  Mexico,  it  had  been  carried  into  the  enemy's 
country,  to  be  vigorously  prosecuted  there,  with  a  view  to  obtain  an  honour 
able  peace,"  it  is  therein  openly  declared  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  that  in 
all  the  military  operations  directed  that  way,  "  the  military  occupation  of 
California  is  the  main  object  in  view."  Hence,  Stevenson,  and  other  com 
manders,  have  been  instructed  that  "  the  possession  and  occupation"  of  cer 
tain  military  positions  in  Alta  California  "  were  essential  to  the  objects  in 
view  in  prosecuting  the  war  in  that  quarter."  The  instructions  of  the 
Secretary  of  War  state,  for  the  advisement  of  his  subordinate,  that  "  there  is 
reason  to  believe  that  California  is  not  favourably  disposed  to  the  central 
government  of  Mexico,  and  will  not  be  disposed  to  make  a  vigorous  resist 
ance  to  our  operations  in  that  quarter."  He  then  says  :  "  Should  you  find 
such  to  be  the  state  of  things  there,"  "  they  should  be  made  to  feel  that  we 
come  as  deliverers  ;"  and  "  their  rights  of  person,  property,  and  religion, 
must  be  respected  and  sustained."  If  this  last  pledge  be  sustained, 
the  inquiry  may  be  made — who  is  to  be  benefited  by  the  acquisition  of  the 
Californias,  Sonora,  Chihuahua,  and  New  Mexico? — every  square  mile  of 
the  soil  of  those  vast  territories,  fit  for  cultivation,  having  long  since  been 
granted,  by  the  Spanish  or  Mexican  government,  to  individuals.  Certainly 
not  the  people  of  the  United  States,  who  are  to  pay  the  expenses  of  the 
prosecution  and  consummation  of  the  present  scheme  of  annexation  of  the 
government  at  Washington.  If  it  might  be  supposed  that  this  grand  scheme 
of  annexation  was  consummated,  let  it  be  known,  that  so  soon  as  the  territo 
ries  of  Northern  Mexico  should  come  into  the  Union,  the  grants,  which 


DESIGNS  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT.  51 

include  its  entire  soil,  would  be  bought  up  by  land  speculators  of  the  United 
States  and  the  north  of  Europe,  for  a  half  or  one  cent  per  acre,  and  sold  to 
settlers  for  $1  and  $2  per  acre  ;  but  not  a  cent  would  come  into  the  treasury 
of  the  United  States  for  the  reimbursement  of  the  people  for  the  great  ex 
penses  to  which  they  had  been  subjected  in  the  prosecution  of  the  seizure, 
military  occupation,  and  annexation,  of  those  territories.  In  the  operation, 
the  poor  would  be  made  to  pay  to  the  rich — but  not  the  rich  to  the  govern 
ment. 

From  the  communication  of  instructions  given  by  the  Secretary  of  War  to 
Stevenson,  it  is  plainly  to  be  inferred  to  have  been  the  original  intention  of 
the  government  at  Washington,  that  he  should  have  been  second  in  com 
mand  in  California  ;  and  that  when  General  Kearny  should  have  left,  the 
post  of  military-commandant  and  civil  governor  should  have  devolved 
upon  Stevenson.  The  assignment  of  Colonel  Mason  to  the  command  in 
California,  places  another  between  General  Kearny  and  Stevenson,  leaving 
him  in  the  third  place  of  rank.  But,  as  it  seems,  Stevenson  will  have  an 
other  competitor  in  the  person  of  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  who  was  the 
revolutionary  chief  of  the  country,  and  who  will  claim  the  right  to  govern, 
as  the  real  conqueror  of  the  territory.  This  might  be  secured  to  him,  in  the 
absence  of  both  General  Kearny,  and  Colonel  Mason  ;  and  as  for  Stevenson, 
he  is  acting  under  a  commission  which  is  absolutely  void,  it  having  been 
issued  by  the  governor  of  the  state  of  New  York,  without  any  authority  of 
law  ;  and  his  regiment  has  had  no  organization  in  accordance  with  any  law 
of  Congress,  or  of  the  legislature  of  the  state  of  New  York ;  which  facts 
were  known  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  at  the  time  he  despatched  the  expe 
dition,  and  granted  the  following  letter  of  instruction  : 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  September  11,  1846. 

SIR, — The  transports  having  on  board  the  regiment  under  your  command  are  destined 
to  the  Pacific,  and  will  repair  to  our  naval  squadron  now  on  the  coast  of  California.  In 
structions,  with  a  copy  of  which  you  are  herewith  furnished,  have  been  given  to  the  naval 
commander  on  the  station  in  regard  to  his  operations ;  and  you  are  directed  to  co-operate 
with  him  in  carrying  out  his  plans,  so  far  as  the  land  forces  may  be  needed  for  that  pur 
pose.  Without  undertaking  to  give  specific  instructions  as  to  the  movements  of  our  forces 
in  that  quarter — for  much  must  be  left  to  the  judgment  of  the  commanding  officers — it  is 
proper  to  state  that  the  military  occupation  of  California  is  the  main  object  in  view.  There 
are  three  points  deemed  to  be  worthy  of  particular  attention.  These  are,  San  Francisco, 
Monterey,  and  San  Diego.  It  is  important  to  have  possession  of  the  bay  of  San  Francisco, 
and  the  country  in  that  vicinity.  The  necessity  of  having  something  like  a  permanent  and 
secure  position  on  the  coast  of  California,  and  probably  at  this  place,  will  not  be  overlooked. 
Assuming  that  such  a  position  will  be  found  and  selected  in  the  bay  of  San  Francisco,  it 
is  expected  that  a  fortification,  such  as  the  means  at  your  command  may  enable  you  to  con 
struct,  will  be  erected,  and  that  the  heavy  guns  heretofore  sent  out,  and  those  taken  by  the 
transports,  to  the  extent  needed,  will  be  used  for  its  armament.  This  work  should  be  de 
signed  for  a  two-fold  object — -the  protection  of  the  vessels  in  the  bay,  and  the  security  of 
the  land  forces.  The  selection  of  the  site  will  be  an  important  matter.  It  should  be  pre 
ceded  by  a  careful  examination  of  the  place  with  reference  to  both  objects,  and  the  location 
made  under  the  advice  and  direction  of  the  commanding  naval  officer.  It  may,  however, 
be  that  your  first  debarkation  will  not  be  at  this  point.  The  circumstances  which  may  be 
found  to  exist  on  your  arrival  in  that  region  must  control  in  this  matter. 

It  is  probable  that  Monterey  will  have  been  taken  by  our  naval  force,  before  the  land 
troops  reach  that  coast,  and  they  may  be  needed  to  hold  possession  of  it.  This  place  is 
also  to  be  secured  by  fortifications  or  temporary  works  from  an  attack  either  by  sea  or  land. 
Judging  from  the  information  we  have  here  of  what  will  be  the  state  of  things  on  your  ar 
rival  on  the  coast  of  California,  it  is  concluded  that  these  will  be  found  to  be  the  important 
points,  and  the  possession  of  them  essential  to  the  objects  in  view  in  prosecuting  the  war  in  that 
quarter  /  but  the  particular  mention  of  them  is  by  no  means  intended  as  instructions  to 


52  DESIGNS  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT. 

confine  our  military  operations  to  them.  As  to  the  third  place  suggested,  San  Diego,  les» 
is  known  of  it  than  the  other  two.  Should  the  naval  commander  determine  to  take  and 
hold  possession  of  it,  and  need  the  land  force,  or  a  part  of  it  for  that  purpose,  you  will  of 
course  yield  to  his  views  in  that  respect.  Whatever  is  done  upon  the  coast  of  California, 
or  of  any  other  part  of  Mexico,  will  require,  it  is  presumed,  the  co-operation  of  the  land 
and  naval  forces,  and  it  is  not  doubted  that  this  co-operation  will  be  cordially  rendered. 

The  point,  or  points  of  debarkation  of  the  regiment  under  yonr  command,  should  be  set 
tled  as  speedily  as  practicable  after  your  arrival  upon  the  Mexican  coast,  and  the  transports 
discharged.  The  land  forces  will,  thereafter,  be  attended  with  the  vessels  of  the  squadron. 
The  ordnance,  ammunition,  arms,  and  all  descriptions  of  public  property  which  are  not 
required  on  shore,  or  cannot  be  safely  deposited  there,  will  be  transferred  to  the  public  ships. 
Upon  them  the  land  forces  must  rely  for  bringing  supplies,  where  water  transportation  is 
necessary.  If  the  exigency  of  the  service  requires  these  forces  to  remove  from  one  place 
to  another  on  the  coast,  the  public  vessels  will  furnish  the  means  of  doing  so. 

The  regiment  under  your  command,  as  well  as  the  company  of  Captain  Tompkins, 
which  has  preceded  it,  is  a  part  of  General  Kearny 's  command  ;  bwt  it  may  be  that  he  will 
not  be  in  a  situation  to  reach  you,  by  his  orders,  immediately  on  your  debarkation.  Until 
this  is  the  case,  yours  will  be  an  independent  command,  except  when  engaged  in  joint  ope 
rations  with  the  naval  force. 

It  is  not  expected  that  you  will  be  able  to  advance  far  into  the  country ;  nor  is  it  advisa 
ble  for  you  to  undertake  any  hazardous  enterprises.  Until  you  shall  fall  under  the  com 
mand  of  General  Kearny,  your  force  will  be  mostly,  if  not  wholly  employed  in  seizing  and 
holding  important  possessions  on  the  sea-coast. 

The  government  here  have  received  information,  which  is  deemed  to  be  reliable,  though 
not  official,  that  our  squadron  in  the  Pacific  had  taken  possession  of  Monterey,  as  early  as* 
the  6th  of  July  last. 

There  is  reason  to  believe,  that  California  is  not  favour-ably  disposed  to  the  central  govern 
ment  of  Mexico,  and  will  not.  be  disposed  to  make  a  vigorous  resistance  to  our  operations  in  that 
quarter.  Should  you  find  such  to  be  the  state  of  things  there,  it  will  be  of  the  greatest  im 
portance  that  the  good  will  of  the  people  towards  the  United  States  should  be  cultivated. 
This  is  to  be  done  by  liberal  and  kind  treatment.  They  should  be  made  to  fed  that  we  come 
as  deliverers.  Their  rights  of  person,  property,  and  religion  must  be  respected  and  sustained. 
The  greatest  care  must  be  taken  to  restrain  the  troops  from  all  acts  of  license  or  outrage ; 
the  supplies  drawn  from  the  country  must  be  paid  for  at  fair  prices ;  and,  as  far  as  practica 
ble,  friendly  relations  must  be  established.  In  the  event  of  hostile  resistance,  your  opera 
tions  must  be  governed  by  circumstances ;  and  you  must  use  the  means  at  your  command 
to  accomplish  the  objects  in  view — the  military  occupation  of  the  country.  It  is  not,  how 
ever,  expected  that  much  can  be  done,  if  preparations  shall  have  been  made  to  resist,  until 
the  forces  under  General  Kearny  shall  have  entered  the  country. 

You  are  directed  to  embrace  every  opportunity  to  communicate  with  this  department, 
and  to  furnish  it  with  not  only  a  full  account  of  your  movements  and  operations  previous 
to  your  coming  under  the  direct  command  of  General  Kearny,  but  with  such  other  infor 
mation  as  may  be  useful  for  the  department  to  possess  in  regard  to  conducting  the  war  in 
that  quarter. 

Your  attention  is  particularly  directed  to  that  portion  of  the  instructions  to  the  command 
ing  officer  of  the  squadron  in  the  Pacific,  herewith  enclosed,  which  has  reference  to  the 
joint  operation  of  the  land  and  naval  force,  and  you  will  conform  your  conduct  thereto. 

You  are  also  furnished  with  an  extract  from  instructions  to  General  Kearny,  giving 
directions  for  the  course  of  conduct  to  be  pursued  while  in  the  military  occupation  of  any 
portion  of  the  enemy's  country — together  with  a  copy  of  a  letter  to  General  Taylor,  en 
closing  one  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  in  regard  to  commercial  intercourse  with 
such  parts  of  the  enemy's  ports,  &c.,  as  may  be  in  possession  of  onr  forces.  These  are  to 
be  regarded  as  instructions  to  you,  should  you  find  yourself  placed  in  the  circumstances 
therein  contemplated.  You  will  take  the  earliest  opportunity  to  make  the  commanding 
officer  of  the  squadron  in  the  Pacific  fully  acquainted  with  your  instructions  and  the 
accompanying  papers.  Where  a  place  is  taken  by  the  joint  action  of  the  naval  and  land 
forces,  the  naval  officer  in  command,  if  superior  in  rank  to  yourself,  will  be  entitled  to  make 
arrangements  for  the  civil  government  of  it,  while  it  is  held  by  the  co-operation  of  both 
branches  of  the  military  force.  All  your  powers,  in  this  respect,  will,  of  course,  be  devolved 
on  General  Kearny,  whenever  he  shall  arrive  in  California  and  assume  the  command  of  the 


EFFECT  OF  THE  DISMEMBERMENT  OF  MEXICO.  53 

volunteer  regiment.     As  soon  as  practicable,  you  will  furnish  him  with  a  copy  of  this  com 
munication  and  the  other  papers  herewith  transmitted. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

WILLIAM  L.  MARCY,  Secretary  of  War. 

Col.  J.  D.  STEVENSON,  Commanding  Regiment  of  Volunteers,  Governor's  Island,  harbour 
of  New  York. 

It  remains  no  longer  as  a  supposition,  that  the  present  administration  of 
trie  government  at  Washington  have  acted  with  a  design  to  wrest  from  the 
government  of  Mexico  the  territories  of  the  Californias,  Sonora,  Chihuahua, 
and  New  Mexico,  with  a  view  to  the  annexation  of  these  enormously  exten 
sive  countries  to  the  United  States — a  measure  as  fraught  with  evil  to  our 
selves  as  unjust  to  the  inhabitants  of  Mexico.  These  vast  territories  have 
already  been  seized  by  American  troops,  and  they  are  now  technically  in 
the  military  occupation  of  the  government  at  Washington  ;  and  suppose  that 
this  grand  scheme  of  annexation  could  be  carried  out,  without  objection  or 
hindrance  on  the  part  of  Mexico,  (which,  however,  is  a  supposition  not  yet 
authorized,)  what  must  be  the  inevitable  result  of  the  measure  to  the  United 
States  of  America  ?  Certainly  nothing  short  of  an  almost  immediate  disso 
lution  of  the  Union  ;  or  a  change  of  the  principles  of  our  government  from 
republicanism  to  an  aristocracy.  These  immense  territories  could  only  be 
held  and  protected  by  a  large  standing  army,  and  another  army  of  civil 
officers,  all  dependent  upon  the  chief  executive  of  the  Union,  and  thus 
increasing  his  patronage  and  the  corruption  of  the  federal  capital.  They 
could  not  receive  a  population  from  the  United  States  in  any  limited  time, 
as  the  states  of  this  Union  have  not  the  inhabitants  to  spare.  So  that  their 
early  settlement  could  not  be  expected  without  looking  to  an  emigration  from 
northern  Europe,  whose  people  would  be  as  proportionally  strange  to  the 
institutions  of  our  government  as  the  territories  they  should  inhabit  would 
be  foreign  to  our  capital.  A  hundred  years  could  not  give  the  literature  of 
the  United  States  to  Northern  Mexico,  nor  spread  the  education  there  which 
is  within  the  reach  and  common  to  the  most  indigent  of  American  citizens. 
The  greater  number  of  eligible  positions  for  settlement,  and  the  best  lands 
for  cultivation,  are  along  the  coast  of  the  Pacific  and  shores  of  the  Gulf  of 
California,  upon  an  average  of  2000  miles'  distance  from  the  seat  of  govern 
ment  of  the  United  States — a  distance  which  would  never  be  travelled  but 
by  the  parasites  of  power.  The  shipper,  the  merchant,  the  farmer,  the 
mechanic,  and  all  of  business  avocations,  would  never  see  Washington  ;  and, 
though  New  Mexico,  Chihuahua,  Sonora,  and  the  Californias,  distant  2000 
and  3000  miles  from  our  capital,  should  be  settled  and  peopled  by  citizens 
of  the  United  States,  they  would  become  foreigners,  being  severed  from  the 
citizens  of  these  states  by  distance,  deserts,  and  mountains  ;  and  having  a 
different  soil  and  climate,  and  another  commerce,  which  would  never  be 
connected  with,  nor  beneficial  to  the  United  States,  they  could  not  be  as  one 
people  with  the  Yankees — with  one  thought,  one  feeling,  one  sentiment, 
and  of  one  national  interest,  without  which  no  republic  could  be  of  long 
duration.  The  steamers  upon  the  bays  and  rivers,  the  canals  and  canal- 
boats,  the  railways  and  locomotives,  the  newspapers  and  the  magnetic  tele 
graphs,  have  kept  us  one  people  from  the  bay  of  Fundy  to  the  Mississippi 
river ;  and  the  same  agents  can  keep  us  one  people  to  the  valley  of  the  Rio 
Grande  del  Norte.  But  beyond  that  they  cannot  go.  Broad  deserts  and 
lofty  and  rugged  sierras  divide  the  east  from  the  west,  and  art  cannot  unite 
them. 

The  assumption  that,  as  the  purchase  of  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi 
did  but  increase  the  power  and  prosperity  of  the  Union,  and  that  as  we  can 

E2 


54  RISE  OF  THE   MEXICAN  REPUBLIC. 

bear  the  annexation  of  Texas,  the  government  at  Washington  would  be 
safe  in  the  experiment,  and  the  President  and  his  advisers  justified  in  ex 
tending  our  lines  to  the  Pacific,  would  afford  a  like  assurance  of  safety  and 
justification  for  including  the  Sandwich  Islands,  Japan,  and  Tartary,  if  so 
pleased.  Louisiana  and  Texas  were  neighbouring  territories,  and  they  had 
an  interest  interwoven  with  the  Atlantic  States  by  foreign  and  domestic 
commerce  ;  but  Northern  Mexico  is  as  foreign  to  us  as  France,  and  as  little 
prepared  for  our  institutions  as  France  was  in  1789;  and  the  commerce 
of  its  inhabitants  must  be  with  strangers. 

The  magnificent  scheme  of  conquest  for  annexation  now  being  prosecuted 
by  the  government  at  Washington,  may  flatter  the  ambition  of  weak  men, 
and  tickle  the  acquisitiveness  of  dumpy  and  doty  politicians  ;  but  states 
man  and  sage  will  say,  We  meddle  with  Northern  Mexico  but  to  our  own 
national  hurt ;  that  she  can  be  forced  into  the  Union  but  to  palsy  our  govern 
ment  ;  and  that,  if  she  be  now  cast  upon  the  bosom  of  liberty,  she  will 
assuredly  breed  a  disease  ;  and  why  should  we  deprive  Mexico  of  all  her 
means  for  national  greatness  ?  Why  should  the  farmers,  mechanics,  and 
labouring  men  of  the  Atlantic  States  be  taxed  to  the  extent  of  millions  of 
dollars  that  this  great  wrong  may  be  done  ?  that  Mexico  may  be  deprived 
of  her  northern  states  to  be  given  to  the  refuse  population  of  Europe,  and 
to  create  an  additional  inducement  for  foreign  emigration,  which  has  already 
become  a  tax  upon  the  industry  of  American  citizens,  and  a  nuisance  to  the 
country. 

The  continent,  from  the  42°  of  north  latitude  to  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  on 
the  Pacific  coast,  and  encircling  the  west  and  south-westerly  sides  of  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  was  once  a  vice-royalty  of  Spain.  The  people  of  that 
country  had  witnessed  the  successful  struggle  of  our  forefathers  for  political 
liberty,  and  they  saw  us  experimenting  with  equal  success,  with  a  popular 
form  of  government,  and  they  aimed  to  practise  what  we  had  experimented, 
and  in  1810,  they  struck  for  the  same  glorious  principles  for  which  our  fore 
fathers  fought  ;*  but,  perhaps,  they  struck  too  soon.  Their  cause  had  but 
little  prosperity  until  the  Treaty  of  Ghent  and  the  Peace  of  Paris  deprived 
many  officers  of  the  American  and  European  armies  of  employment,  who 
flocked  to  the  Mexican  standard,  to  do  battle  in  the  cause  of  liberty.  As 
English  cupidity  had  afflicted  the  British  American  colonies,  which  now 
compose  a  part  of  the  states  of  this  Union,  with  the  curse  of  domestic  sla 
very,  so  had  the  Spanish  grandees  who  had  domiciled  themselves  in  Mex 
ico  doubly  cursed  their  vice-royalty  with  the  same  evil.  The  slaveholders 
of  Mexico  were  the  loyal  supporters  of  the  Spanish  authority  in  the  vice- 
royalty,  and  the  patriots  of  the  country,  as  a  measure  of  justice  to  them 
selves,  and  of  injury  and  hurt  to  their  enemies,  declared  an  abrogation  of 
the  law  of  slavery  which  had  prevailed  in  their  country  ;  and  freed  slaves 
with  foreign  officers  became  good  material  to  fight  the  battles  of  liberty. 
But  when  these  were  won,  the  foreign  officers  mainly  returned  to  their 
homes  in  other  lands,  and  the  freed  slaves  were  not  found  best  fitted  for  citi 
zens  ;  and  the  energies  of  the  people  were  fatally  weakened  by  a  suicidal 
act  of  the  people,  who  aimed  at  their  annihilation,  and  the  government  of 
Mexico,  who  consented  to  the  expulsion  from  their  territories  of  all  native- 
born  Spaniards.  These  formed  the  most  able  and  enlightened  of  their  inha 
bitants  ;  and  though,  not  like  the  Jews  of  Egypt,  seeking  to  go,  their  absence, 

*  The  Revolution  in  Mexico  was  commenced,  in  1810,  by  Don  Miguel  Hidalgo,  a  priest 
of  Dolores,  a  small  town  in  the  Intendencia  of  Guanajuato ;  associated  with  whom  were 
three  Spanish  military  officers,  Allende,  Aldama,  and  Abasolo. 


A  REPUBLIC  DESPOILED.  55 

when  thrust  out,  did  the  Mexican  nation  more  injury  than  did  the  fleeing  of 
Moses's  band  to  the  country  of  Pharaoh.  The  generations  of  the  freed 
slaves  and  the  Indians  were  too  numerous  for  the  whites.  These  facts, 
combining  with  the  farther  one,  that  a  climate  of  extraordinary  salubrity, 
and  a  soil  over-fruitful,  exist  as  a  natural  and  never-failing  encouragement 
to  idleness  and  vagabondism.  These  are  the  ingredients  which  have  dete 
riorated  from  the  character  of  the  Mexican  people,  and  given  apparent  fail 
ure  to  their  experiment  in  free  self-government,  and  thrown  them  back  a 
century  behind  the  present  age  of  art,  science  and  improvement.  Mexico  is 
too  weak  ;  her  debility  rendered  by  these  causes  is  too  great  to  allow  her  to 
rise,  unaided  by  encouragement  and  assistance  from  abroad.  The  agents 
of  foreign  industry  and  improvement  must  be  brought  in  among  them,  and 
the  genius  of  invention  be  allowed  to  take  its  lead,  and  her  inferior  races 
must  give  place  to  the  superior,  or  her  head  can  never  rise  among  the  na 
tions  of  the  earth.  But  these  breeds  of  the  African  and  the  Aztec  races 
must  have  ground  to  retire  upon,  or  they  cannot  go.  Deprive  Mexico  of 
her  northern  provinces,  and  she  remains  depressed  under  her  burden  of 
Negros,  Indians,  Mulattos,  Mestidos,  and  Sambos,  breeds  of  men  who  are 
doomed  by  nature  to  ignorance  and  stupidity,  and  whose  presence,  in  their 
present  redundancy  of  numbers,  does  but  clog  the  wheels  of  their  national 
advancement,  shut  out  the  light  of  genius  and  science,  and  render  futile 
and  unstable  all  forms  of  free  government,  by  furnishing  the  ready  means 
and  willing  instruments  for  political  dissension,  revolt  and  revolution.  Let 
Mexico  scatter  this  part  of  her  population  in  Northern  Mexico,  and  its 
influence  is  neutralized,  its  power  lost,  and  its  ability  to  do  the  nation  hurt 
will  exist  no  more.  If,  however,  she  is  to  be  deprived  of  her  unsettled  ter 
ritories,  her-  hopes  of  national  greatness  are  blasted,  and  of  regeneration 
denied.  With  the  millions  of  her  inferior  races  compressed  within  her 
smaller  territories,  not  assisting  but  cramping  her  energies,  republican  insti 
tutions  would  be  found  insufficient  for  the  ignorance  of  these  and  the  con 
sequent  supineness  of  the  whites,  and  necessity  would  give  the  rule  to  des 
potism  or  monarchy.  One  of  the  vital  means  for  the  regeneration  of 
Mexico,  is  commerce  ;  and  deprived  of  her  northern  provinces,  Mexico  will 
be  shorn  of  her  means  for  commercial  prosperity,  as  they  contain  her  only 
good  harbours. 

Had  Mexico  remained  a  vice-royalty  of  Spain,  the  government  at  Wash 
ington  would  not  have  plunged  our  country  into  a  war  with  that  monarchy, 
and,  perhaps,  with  all  Europe,  with  a  view  to  the  dismemberment  of  her 
territories  ;  and  now,  because  the  Mexican  people,  at  the  instigation  of  our 
government,  assisted  by  our  citizens,  have  made  a  feeble  effort  to  imitate 
us  in  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  a  free  government,  shall  we 
despoil  her,  that  ourselves  may  be  ruined  with  the  appropriation  of  the 
plunder  ? 

There  is  another  problem  embraced  in  the  project  under  consideration. 
Will  the  industrious,  hard-working,  labouring  people  of  the  Northern  and 
Middle  States,  who  are  the  great  consumers,  and,  consequently,  the  great 
tax-payers  of  the  Union,  and  from  the  sweat  of  whose  brows  has  ever  been 
drawn  the  means  for  the  support  of  our  national  government,  consent  to 
have  their  burden  of  taxes  increased  in  a  three  or  fourfold,  to  defray  the 
expenses  of  seizing  and  maintaining  a  military  occupation  of  the  territories 
of  a  sister  republic,  that  "the  area  of  slavery  may  be  increased,"  and  a 
new  market  opened  for  the  sale  of  men,  women,  and  children  ?  Or,  will  the 
people  of  the  slave  states,  think  ye,  fellow-citizens  of  the  land  of  the  white 
rain,  allow  their  territories  to  be  environed  with  a  cordon  of  free  states, 


56  NEW   SLAVE   STATES. 

whose  soil  shall  be  parcelled  out  to  and  owned  by  those  who  help  them 
selves  and  do  their  own  bidding  ?  Or,  will  they  not  rather  plant  the  bonds 
men  throughout  those  territories,  whose  "soil  and  climate  are  peculiarly 
adapted  to  slave  labour  ?" 


CHAPTER   IX. 

Opinion  of  the  Hon.  James  Buchanan  of  the  Wilmot  Proviso — His  Appeal  to  the  Democracy 
of  Pennsylvania — The  Question  of  Slavery  in  California  reviewed — 36°  3(X,  or  the  Missouri 
Compromise — The  Policy  of  the  South,  and  the  Motive  for  a  Slave  Market — Emigrants  to 
California  and  Northern  Mexico. 

IF  it  be  allowed  by  our  code  of  morals,  and  held  consistent  with  the  light 
of  the  age,  that  the  priest  in  the  pulpit  may  lie,  in  order  to  gain  credence 
for  revelation ;  that  the  counsellor  who  appears  in  the  Jaw  court  of  the  peo 
ple  may  clothe  falsehood  in  the  habiliments  of  truth,  and  give  her  the  tongue 
of  philosophy,  that  his  client's  cause  may  seem  just ;  and  that  a  wise  states 
man  may  put  forth  a  fallacy,  that  his  particular  policy  of  government  shall 
find  favour  with  the  people  of  his  country,  then  may  there  be  an  apology 
granted  to  the  Hon.  James  Buchanan,  Secretary  of  State  of  the  United 
States,  for  the  number  of  bare-headed  misstatements  of  fact  which  he  has 
crowded  into  a  communication  (1.)  recently  addressed  by  him  to  a  number 
of  citizens  of  Berks  county,  Pennsylvania.* 

"  The  question  of  slavery,"  writes  Mr.  Secretary  Buchanan, "  in  one  of  its 
ancient  aspects,  has  been  recently  revived,  and  threatens  to  convulse  the  coun 
try  ;"  and  then,  after  giving  words  of  advice  to  the  democracy  of  Pennsylvania, 
he  continues  :  "  Northern  Democrats  are  not  expected  to  approve  slavery  in 
the  abstract ;  but  they  owe  it  to  themselves,  as  they  value  the  Union,  and 
all  of  the  political  blessings  which  bountifully  flow  from  it,  to  abide  the  com 
promise  of  the  Constitution,  and  to  leave  the  question,  where  that  instru 
ment  has  left  it,  TO  THE  STATES  WHEREIN  SLAVERY  EXISTS  :"t  and  then,  in 

*  The  extravagance  of  the  averments  which  this  communication  contains,  will  appear 
much  less  to  diminish  the  character  of  the  writer  for  intelligence,  when  viewed  in  connec 
tion  with  the  following  declaration  by  which  they  are  prefaced : 

"  It  is  a  long  time  since"  says  Mr.  Secretary  Buchanan,  "  any  state  election  [referring  to 
the  gubernatorial  election  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  then  to  be  held  in  October,  1847,] 
has  involved  such  important  consequences  for  the  democracy  of  the  Union,  as  the  approaching 
flection  for  Governor  of  Pennsylvania.  On  its  results  may  probably  depend  the  ascendency 
of  the  democracy  of  (he  Union  for  years  to  come ,-"  but  this  presents  no  favourable  comment 
upon  the  Secretary's  character  for  political  honesty. 

It  was  neither  the  intention  nor  the  appropriate  office  of  the  writer  to  go  into  a  canvass 
of  the  fears  of  Mr.  Secretary  Buchanan,  for  the  loss  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  from  the 
democratic  galaxy,  which  he  seems  to  have  shadowed  forth  as  then  likely  to  result  from  an 
estrangement  of  a  portion  of  the  democracy.  But,  taking  his  letter  in  question  as  declara 
tory  of  the  policy  of  President  Polk  and  his  advisers  in  reference  to  matters  of  the  highest 
national  importance ;  and  as  their  avowed  policy  appears  to  be  in  opposition  to  the  princi 
ples  of  justice  and  humanity,  threatening  to  the  stability  of  the  government  of  the  United 
States,  and  detrimental  to  the  best  interest  of  the  American  people,  it  seems  to  have  been 
worthy  of  an  elucidation. 

•(•  Let  the  reader  bear  in  mind  that  it  is  not  the  regulation  of  their  local  matters  of  slavery 
which  Mr.  Secretary  Buchanan  insists  should  be  left  "  to  the  states  wherein  slavery  exists ;*' 
but  the  whole  matter  of  the  conquest,  and  annexation  to  this  Union,  of  a  vast  territory,  and 


NEW  SLAVE  STATES.  57 

reference  to  the  further  acquisition  of  territory  and  the  creation  of  new  states, 
and  after  declaring  that,  "  under  the  Missouri  Compromise,  slavery  was  for 
ever  prohibited  north  of  36°  30' ;  and"  that  "  south  of  that  parallel  the 
question  was  left  to  the  people,"  he  writes — "  and  in  my  opinion,  the  har 
mony  of  the  states,  and  even  the  security  of  the  Union  itself,  require  that 
the  line  of  the  Missouri  Compromise  should  be  extended  to  any  nejv  terri 
tory  which  we  may  acquire  from  Mexico  /" 

Slavery,  "  in  its  ancient  aspect,"  is  one  of  hateful  features  to  the  demo 
cracy  of  the  north,  because  it  is  viewed  as  a  blight  upon  the  prosperity  of 
the  country,  and  an  institution  which,  in  principle,  is  at  war  with  the  genius 
of  free  government ;  and  with  no  other,  nor  with  more  pleasant  features,  can 
the  question  ever  be  revived ;  but  there  is  no  terror  in  the  convulsion  which 
it  threatens — unless  the  democracy  of  the  north  shall  prove  traitors  to 
their  own  principles!  As  for  "the  compromise  of  the  Constitution,"  it  is 
to  be  argued  that  that  compromise  embraced  no  territory  not  at  the  time  of 
the  creation  of  the  instrument  a  part  and  parcel  of  the  territory  of  this 
Union  ;  and  that  it  is  in  no  manner  binding  in  reference  to  territory  subse 
quently  acquired,  and  which  had  no  representation  in  the  Convention  by 
which  the  Constitution  was  framed.  The  compromise  was  such  only  be 
tween  the  thirteen  original  states.*  Nor  was  the  Missouri  Compromise  a 

one  as  extensive  as  the  entire  of  the  original  thirteen  states,  and  the  construction  of  the 
same  into  a  great  slave  market,  which  shall  be  the  means  of  keeping  slavery  in  parts  of 
this  Union  where  it  would  otherwise  soon  cease  to  exist  for  the  want  of  a  motive  for  its 
continuance.  He  modestly  asks  the  citizens  of  Pennsylvania  to  give  their  lives,  their 
national  character,  their  right  to  be  heard  in  the  national  councils,  and  their  public  trea 
sures,  into  the  keeping,  arrangement,  and  disposal  of  their  neighbours — the  slaveholders  of 
the  South !  (where,  as  he  contends,  the  Constitution  has  placed  the  question  of  slavery  ;) 
and  that  they  should  so  vote,  in  1847,  that  California,  a  country  now  acknowledged  to  be 
free,  may  be  obtained  by  their  blood  and  their  money,  to  be  made  a  land  of  slaves!  and 
unless  slavery  be  admitted  to  California,  (and  in  aid  of  which  he  solicits  the  votes  of  the 
democracy  of  Pennsylvania,)  Mr.  Secretary  Buchanan  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  Union  is 
insecure :  and  assumes  that,  for  our  blood-bought  institutions  there  is  now  no  safety  except 
in  the  manacles  of  slaves !  As  Mr.  Secretary  Buchanan  puts  it  to  the  Pennsylvanians— a 
vote  for  Mr.  Shunk  would  be  a  vote  for  slavery  in  California ;  and  who,  BUT  SLAVES, 
would  vote  for  chains  and  slavery  ? 

*  The  following  is  a  copy  of  Clause  3,  Sec.  2,  Art.  4,  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States : — No  person  held  to  service  or  labour  in  one  state,  under  the  laws  thereof,  escaping 
into  another,  shall,  in  consequence  of  any  law  or  regulation  therein,  be  discharged  from 
such  service  or  labour,  but  shall  be  delivered  up  upon  claim  of  the  party  to  whom  such 
service  or  labour  may  be  due. 

Again :  Clause  3,  Sec.  2,  JlrL  1,  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  is  as  follows  :— 
Representatives  [in  Congress]  and  direct  taxes  shall  be  apportioned  among  the  several  states 
which  may  be  included  within  this  Union,  according  to  their  respective  numbers,  which 
shall  be  determined  by  adding  to  the  whole  number  of  free  persons,  including  those  bound  to 
service  for  a  term  of  years,  and  excluding  Indians  not  taxed,  three-fifths  of  all  other  persons. 

The  word  slavery  is  not  mentioned  in  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States ;  and  the 
preceding  are  the  copies  of  each  and  every  clause  of  the  Constitution  which  can  be  deemed 
to  have  reference  to  slavery.  The  first  is  a  provision  introduced,  very  properly,  with  a  view 
to  prevent  the  free  states  from  interfering  with  the  internal  regulations  of  the  slave  states, 
as  well  as  to  secure  to  the  people  of  the  slave  states  the  possession  of  their  properly,  invested 
in  slaves.  The  second  is  a  provision  giving  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  slave  states  a  repre 
sentation  in  Congress  for  their  property.  These  were  immunities  which  the  people  of  the 
Southern  states  could  not  have  claimed  as  a  right,  and  therefore  they  were  matters  clearly 
of  compromise ;  and  as  clearly  have  no  manner  of  reference  to,  or  bearing  upon  the  subject 
of  the  conquest  of  territory,  or  the  extension  of  slavery.  It  is  not  true  that  the  Constitu 
tion,  by  its  compromise,  has  left  the  question  of  conquest,  and  of  slavery  as  it  may  be  con 
nected  with  the  admission  of  foreign  territory  into  the  Union,  "  to  the  states  wherein  slavery 
S 


58  NEW  SLAVE  STATES. 

binding  compact,  that  it  should  now  determine  the  fate  of  territory  (as  to 
the  existence  of  slavery  therein)  not  yet  acquired  ;  (2.)  if  the  force  of  that 
compromise,  in  any  direction,  be  not  impeached  by  the  principles  of  our 
government,  which  do  not  permit  the  acts  of  one  Congress  to  bind  the  pro 
ceedings  of  a  succeeding  one;  each  Congress  being  supposed  to  represent 
the  opinions  and  to  carry  out  the  wishes  of  the  people,  as  they  exist  for  the 
time  being.  The  government  of  this  Union  was  reared  upon  a  declara 
tion,  declaring  it  to  be  the  inherent  right  of  the  people,  whenever  any  form 
of  government  becomes  destructive  of  their  just  rights,  to  alter  or  to  abolish 
it,  and  to  institute  a  new  one,  based  upon  such  principles  as  shall  seem  most 
likely  to  effect  their  safety  and  happiness  ;  and  the  constitutional  authority 
by  which  every  national  legislature  is  convoked,  could  have  no  existence 
without  a  recognition  of  the  right  of  an  existing  Congress  to  change,  modify, 
or  abolish  the  acts  of  any  Congress  by  which  it  may  have  been  preceded. 
Nor  would  the  advocates  of  the  slave  interest  be  slow  in  reminding  the 
people  of  the  Union  of  this  principle  of  the  government,  if  it  should  become 
their  interest  to  plant  slavery  in  any  territory  north  of  36°  30'.* 

That  "  northern  Democrats,"  as  well  as  the  northern  people  generally, 
"  do  not  approve  of  slavery  in  the  abstract,"  is  most  true  !  (Nor  are  they 
favourably  disposed  to  the  acquisition  of  territory  by  conquest.!)  But  a  very 

exists  ;"  and  the  assumption  is  an  insult  to  the  intelligence  of  the  freemen  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  seems  to  have  been  put  forth,  NOT  for  those  who  can  write  and  read  for  themselves. 

*  It  is  certainly  difficult  to  view  the  letter  of  Mr.  Secretary  Buchanan  in  any  other  light 
than  as  an  official  declaration  in  behalf  of  the  present  administration  of  the  govern 
ment  at  Washington,  against  the  principles  of  the  Wilmot  Proviso,  and  in  favour  of  the 
schemes  which  they  have  openly  and  boldly  prosecuted,  for  the  seizure  of  the  territories  of 
Northern  Mexico,  with  a  view  to  establish  therein  an  extensive  slave  market  for  the  benefit 
of  the  slave-owners  of  the  Southern  States  of  this  Union.  Such  seems  to  be  the  only  con 
struction  which  it  can  bear ;  and  upon  this  Mr.  Buchanan  (most  extraordinarily  !)  suppli 
cates  the  people  of  Pennsylvania  to  vote  for  Mr.  Shunk  for  Governor,  at  their  election  in 
1847,  not  on  account  of  any  benefit  which  might  accrue  to  those  people  by  means  of  his 
election  to  the  gubernatorial  chair,  but  because  his  (Mr.  Shunk's)  defeat  might  bring  failure 
to  their  great  scheme  for  "  extending  the  area  of  slavery"  to  the  shores  of  the  Pacific 
Ocean ;  and  he  (Mr.  Secretary  Buchanan)  would  have  the  voters  of  Pennsylvania  believe 
that  the  American  people  can  have  no  expansion  of  their  lines  without  a  corresponding 
spread  and  growth  of  slavery ;  that  the  keystone  of  the  democratic  arch  they  boast  is  slavery, 
and  that,  without  slavery,  it  must  fall ;  and  that  there  are  no  bands  to  the  Union  but  those 
which  have  been  wrought  by  slavery. 

"  Slaves  in  the  ancient  Aztec's  land  ! 
We  tell  thee,  JAMES  BUCHANAN,  never — 

Her  rocky  hills  and  iron  strand 
Jlre.  free,  and  shall  be  free  forever  • 

Her  surf  shall  wear  those  strands  away — 
Her  rocky  hills  in  dust  shall  moulder, 

Ere  Slavery's  hateful  chains  shall  lay 
Unbroken  on  a.  Mexic  shoulder." 

•f-  The  following  is  a  copy  of  a  paragraph  contained  in  a  letter  addressed  by  the  late 
Hon.  Silas  Wright,  while  governor  of  the  state  of  New  York,  under  date  of  «  Albany, 
July  7,  1846,"  to  the  Hon.  William  L.  Marcy,  Secretary  of  War  of  the  United  States: 
«  If  it  be  designed  to  make  our  present  war  with  Mexico,  one  of  conquest  and  appropri 
ation  of  any  part  of  the  territory  professedly  and  indisputably  hers,  I  think  the  design  a 
mistaken  one ;  I  am,  as  decidedly  as  any  man  in  the  country,  for  prosecuting  this  war  with 
all  the  requisite  vigour  and  energy  necessary  to  bring  it  to  an  early  and  successful  termina 
tion  ;  and  for  so  prosecuting  it  as  well  within  the  conceded  territory  and  jurisdiction  of 
Mexico,  as  within  the  United  States,  or  the  territory  in  dispute  between  the  two  countries. 
But  I  would  cause  it  to  be  constantly  and  distinctly  understood,  that  I  did  not  invade  4he 


THE   AREA  OF  SLAVERY.  59 

important  cause,  in  aid  of  the  principles  of  the  people  of  the  Northern 
States,  which  has  occasioned  slavery  to  be  expelled  from  their  territories,  is 
the  high  price  at  which  the  lands  in  those  states  are  held.  This  is  all  that 
soil  has  had  to  do  with  breaking  the  chains  of  slavery  :  climate  and  pro 
ductions  nothing  !  Yet,  Mr.  Secretary  Buchanan  promulgates  the  assur 
ance  to  his  friends  in  Pennsylvania,  that  "  neither  the  soil,  the  climate,  nor  the 
productions  of  that  portion  of  California,  south  of  36°  30',  NOR,  INDEED,  OF 

ANY  PORTION  OF  IT,  NORTH  OR  SOUTH,  IS  ADAPTED  TO  SLAVE  LABOUR  ;  Mid, 

besides,  every  facility  would  be  there  afforded  to  the  slave  to  escape  from 
his  master." 

Upon  lands  which  cost  from  $50  to  $100  per  acre,  (except  they  be  good 
lands  for  the  production  of  sugar,)  slave  labour  cannot  be  profitably  applied. 
Of  good  sugar  lands,  (except  in  Mexico  and  the  West  India  Islands,)  there 
are  no  considerable  quantity  on  this  continent ;  and  for  all  other  products, 
lands  must  not  cost  more  than  from  $1  to  $6  per  acre,  to  allow  a  proper 
return  for  slave  labour ;  and  the  lands  of  California  will  not  obtain  higher 
prices  than  these  for  many  years  to  come ;  and  in  California,  Sonora,  and 
New  Mexico,  as  good  wheat,  corn,  and  tobacco  can  be  raised  as  are  produced 
in  Maryland,  Virginia,  Kentucky,  or  Tennessee  ;  and  as  good  cotton  as 
Alabama  or  Mississippi  can  produce,  may  also  be  grown  in  California  ;  and 
as  fine  cattle  and  horses  as  can  be  raised  in  Arkansas,  Missouri,  or  any  other 
of  the  slave  states.  As  for  climate,  California  is  as  mild,  up  to  its  north 
line  of  42°,  as  Virginia  or  Kentucky  ;  and  as  for  "  slave  property  being 
utterly  insecure  in  any  part  of  California,"  as  supposed  by  Mr.  Secretary 
Buchanan,  the  fact  would  be  exactly  the  reverse.  California  would  be  the 
very  country  from  which  the  slave  could  not  escape,  as  from  thence  they 
would  have  no  Ohio,  New  York,  New  Jersey,  or  Pennsylvania  to  run  to ; 
and  instead  of  the  few  blacks  who  now  inhabit  California,  and  who  are 
assumed  now  to  be  free,  being  sufficient  to  keep  slavery  from  the  territory, 
it  is  far  more  probable  that  they  would  get  their  own  wrists  fitted  to  the 
shackles  by  the  treasure-hunting  whites  1  and  thus  become  the  compa 
nions,  in  slavery,  of  their  emigrating  brethren  from  the  Southern  states  of 
the  Union.  The  question  turns  not  upon  the  present  population  of  Cali 
fornia,  which  is  now  merely  nominal,  but  that  which  is  to  be  given  to  the 
country. 

It  is  a  fact  too  well  known  throughout  the  United  States,  to  admit  of  ques 
tion,  that  the  rise  in  the  value  of  lands  in  many  of  the  Southern  states, 
(without  a  corresponding  advance  in  the  price  of  produce,  which  has  not 
taken  place  in  any  of  the  states,)  has  rendered  slave  labour  entirely  unpro 
ductive,  and  slave  property  there  of  no  value,  except  for  their  increase. 
If  the  slaves  can  produce  enough  for  their  own  food  and  to  pay  the  interest 
of  the  investment  for  lands,  the  slaveholder  is  satisfied,  looking  to  the  income 
from  the  sale  of  young  slaves  for  his  remuneration  and  support.  It,  there 
fore,  becomes  apparent,  that  if  there  had  not  been  found  a  market  for  the 
increase  of  slaves,  formed  by  the  incorporation  of  the  Mississippi  territory 
into  this  Union,  there  had  not  remained,  at  this  day,  a  slave  in  any  one  of 
the  original  thirteen  states ;  and,  now,  however  approved  may  have  been 
the  policy  for  the  extension  of  "  the  area  of  freedom  "  to  the  south,  it  is 
certain  that  "the  area  of  slavery"  has  been  greatly  extended  therewith; 

territory  of  Mexico  for  the  purpose  of  conquest  and  appropriation,  and  that  so  far  as  the 
question  of  boundary  is  involved,  I  should  be  at  all  times  ready  to  make  a  treaty,  establish 
ing  the  same  boundary  which  we  claimed  at  the  commencement  of  the  war." 

From  the  preceding,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  late  Hon.  Silas  Wright  was  for—"  NO 
MEXICAN  TERRITORY." 


60  THE   BASIS  OF  THE  DEMOCRATIC   PARTY. 

and  that  it  will  grow  in  dominion  as  our  country  shall  grow  in  extent  south 
of  36°  30'.  The  commerce  of  the  Mississippi  may  have  embraced  advan 
tages  sufficient  to  justify  the  annexation  of  Louisiana  with  all  its  extension 
of  slavery.  But  this  forms  no  precedent  for  despoiling  Mexico  of  Califor 
nia,  as  the  commerce  of  the  Pacific  coast  must  ever  be  against  the  com 
merce  of  the  Atlantic  states  of  the  Union. 

It  is  proper  that  the  people  of  the  Northern  states  should  abide  the  compro 
mise  of  the  Constitution  ;  and  there  have  been  presented  no  good  reasons  on 
which  to  found  a  belief,  that  the  people  of  the  Northern  states,  (excepting 
only  a  few  fanatical  abolitionists,)  are  not  disposed  to  account  as  valid  the  pro 
visions  of  the  Constitution,  and  remain  content  with  the  guarantee  which  that 
instrument  has  given  to  slavery.  They  are  willing  to  abide  the  compromise 
of  the  Constitution  ;  but  this  does  not  bind  them  to  surrender  their  right  to 
be  heard  in  the  councils  of  the  nation,  or  deny  them  the  liberty  to  object  to 
the  acquisition  of  further  privileged  territory,  by  conquest  or  otherwise  : 
nor  will  they  concede,  to  party  obligation,  the  power  to  bind  them  to  the 
slaveholding  interest  of  the  south,  and  to  tie  their  hands  so  that  they  may 
not  protect  their  own  interests  as  American  freemen.* 

Mr.  Secretary  Buchanan  declares  that  "a  storm  is  approaching" — and 
with  advice  to  the  democracy,  to  be  prepared  for  the  same,  he  writes  : 
"  Their  [the  democratic  party]  best  security  in  the  hour  of  danger,  is  to 
cling  fast  to  their  time-honoured  principles  ;"  id  est,  to  the  principles  of 
southern  slavery  !  Again  he  writes  :  **  Ji  sacred  regard  for  the  Federal 
Constitution,  and  for  the  reserved  rights  of  the  states,  is  the  immovable 
basis  on  which  the  party  [democratic]  can  alone  safely  rest"  Hence, 
according  to  Mr.  Secretary  Buchanan,  the  party  called  democratic  has  no 
safety  for  its  existence  except  by  its  adhesion  to  southern  slavery  and  une 
qual  representation  ;  the  slave  states  being  allowed  a  representation  in  Con 
gress  for  their  property,  which  was  a  privilege  granted  to  them  by  the  Con 
stitution  as  a  compromise,  in  order  to  bring  into  the  Union  the  entire  states 
of  the  Confederation,  whose  people,  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  those  of  the 
Northern  states,  had  battled  for  political  liberty  in  the  Revolutionary  struggle 
of  the  country.  But  the  compromise  of  the  Constitution  as  herein-before 
premised,  by  no  means  included  the  acquisition  of  immense  territories  by 
conquest,  or  otherwise,  to  be  appropriated  to  slave  labour ;  and  to  be  in 
vested  with  the  immunities  of  the  compromise  of  the  Constitution.  The 
fathers  of  the  north  could  make  no  such  compromise  for  their  children — no 
agreement  in  favour  of  slavery  beyond  the  then  actual  limits  of  the  states — 
or  compact  which  should  bind  the  then  unborn  millions  of  freemen  of  Ame 
rica,  in  reference  to  unacquired  territory  ! 

"  It  is  morally  impossible,"  continues  Mr.  Secretary  Buchanan,  "  that  a 
majority  of  the  emigrants  to  that  portion  of  the  territory,  (California,  south 
of  36°  30',)  which  will  be  chiefly  composed  of  our  fellow-citizens  from  the 
Eastern,  Middle  and  Western  states,  will  ever  re-establish  slavery  in  its 
limits"  If  this  be  true,  why  object  to  the  Wilmot  Proviso,  which  only 
prohibits  that  which  Mr.  Secretary  Buchanan  declares  cannot  exist  by  a 
moral  impossibility  ?  But  there  is  reason  to  suspect  the  validity  of  Mr. 
Secretary  Buchanan's  assurances  ;  as  Mr.  John  C.  Calhoun,  in  his  place  in 

*  The  democracy  of  Pennsylvania  are  told,  by  Mr.  Secretary  Buchanan,  that  to  differ 
with  the  present  administration  of  the  government  at  Washington,  on  the  question  of 
slavery  is  to  «  distract,  and  possibly  to  destroy  the  democratic  party."  This  is  a  phase  of  the 
matter  proper  to  be  viewed  by  real  democrats ;  and  for  the  consideration  of  such  the  sug 
gestion  is  presented. 


SECRETARY  BUCHANAN  AND  THE  WILMOT  PROVISO.       61 

the  United  States  Senate,  during  the  last  session  of  Congress  declared  him 
self  opposed  to  the  Wilmoi  Proviso,*  because  it  would,  in  effect,  as  he 
alleged,  exclude  the  people  of  the  Southern  states  from  California,  or  any 
new  territory  which  we  might  acquire  from  Mexico,  and  give  it  exclu 
sively  to  emigrants  from  the  non-slaveholding  states ;  and  the  whole  course 
of  the  administration  has  been  bent  to  keep  away  the  people  of  "  the  East 
ern,  Middle  and  Western  states,0  while  they  have  so  ordered  the  measures 
of  government  as  to  show  the  country  of  Mexico  to  the  slaveholders  of  the 
south,  (3.)  and  to  insure  them,  if  possible,  the  possession  of  the  same. 

NOTES  TO  CHAPTER  IX. 

(1.)    OPINION   OF    THE    HON.   JAMES   BUCHANAN    OF   THE    WILMOT 

PROVISO. 

GENTLEMEN, — I  have  been  honoured  by  the  receipt  of  your  kind  invitation  to  unite 
with  the  democracy  of  Old  Berks  in  their  Harvest  Home  celebration,  to  be  held  at  Read 
ing,  on  Saturday,  the  28th  instant.  I  should  esteem  it  both  a  pleasure  and  a  privilege  to 
be  present  on  that  interesting  occasion :  it  is,  therefore,  with  regret  I  have  to  inform  you, 
that  my  public  duties  during  the  present  week  will  render  this  impossible. 

I  rejoice  to  observe  that  the  glorious  democracy  of  "  Old  Berks"  are  buckling  on  their 
armour,  and  preparing  for  the  approaching  contest.  It  is  long  since  any  state  election  has 
involved  such  important  consequence  for  the  democracy  of  the  Union,  as  the  approaching 
election  for  governor  of  Pennsylvania.  On  its  result  may  probably  depend  the  ascendency 
of  the  democracy  of  the  Union  for  years  to  come.  Hence  our  democratic  brethren  of  other 
states  are  witnessing  the  contest  with  intense  anxiety.  The  field  is  a  fair  one ;  our  candi 
date  well-tried,  able,  and  honest ;  and  he  has  been  regularly  nominated  by  the  party. 
Should  he  be  defeated,  the  attempt  will  be  vain  to  explain  the  decision  of  the  ballot-boxes, 
in  any  other  manner  than  by  admitting  that  the  Whigs  have  the  majority.  Our  candidate 
for  canal  commissioner  is,  also,  above  all  reproach,  both  personally  and  politically,  and  is 
eminently  qualified  for  the  duties  of  that  important  office.  If,  under  such  circumstances, 
the  democratic  keystone  should  give  way,  there  is  great  danger  that  the  arch  may  tumble 
into  pieces.  In  this  contest,  emphatically,  he  that  is  not  for  us  is  against  us.  I  do  not 
apprehend  defeat,  unless  our  wily  foe  should  first  lull  us  into  security  by  making  no  extra 
ordinary  public  efforts ;  and  then,  at  the  eleventh  hour,  quietly  steal  a  march  upon  us,  as 
they  have  done  in  some  other  states.  Our  vigilance  ought  to  be  constantly  on  the  alert, 
until  the  moment  of  victory. 

The  question  of  slavery  in  one  of  its  ancient  aspects,  has  been  recently  revived,  and 
threatens  to  convulse  the  country.  The  democratic  party  of  the  Union  ought  to  prepare 
themselves  in  time  for  the  approaching  storm.  Their  best  security  in  the  hour  of  danger, 
is  to  cling  fast  to  their  time-honoured  principles.  A  sacred  regard  for  the  federal  Constitu 
tion,  and  for  the  reserved  rights  of  the  states,  is  the  immovable  basis  on  which  the  party 
can  alone  safely  rest.  This  has  saved  us  from  the  inroads  of  abolition.  Northern  demo 
crats  are  not  expected  to  approve  slavery  in  the  abstract ;  but  they  owe  it  to  themselves,  as 
they  value  the  Union,  and  all  the  political  blessings  which  bountifully  flow  from  it,  to  abide 
by  the  compromises  of  the  Constitution,  and  leave  the  question,  where  that  instrument  has 
left  it,  to  the  states  where  slavery  exists.  Our  fathers  have  made  this  agreement  with  their 

*  The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  amendment  to  the  Three  Million  Sill,  (passed  at  the 
session  of  Congress  of  1847,)  introduced  by  Mr.  David  Wilmot,  of  Pennsylvania,  in  the 
United  States  House  of  Representatives  : 

Provided  further,  That  there  shall  be  neither  slavery  nor  involuntary  servitude  in  any 
territory  on  the  continent  of  America,  which  shall  hereafter  be  acquired  by  or  annexed  to  the 
United  States,  by  virtue  of  this  appropriation,  or  in  any  other  manner  whatever,  except  for 
crimes  whereof  the  party  shall  have  been  duly  convicted ;  Provided  always,  that  every  per 
son  escaping  into  such  territory  from  whom  labour  or  service  is  lawfully  claimed  in  any 
one  of  the  United  States,  such  fugitive  may  be  lawfully  claimed  and  conveyed  out  of  said 
territory  to  the  power  claiming  his  or  her  labour  or  service. 

The  first  vote  on  this  amendment  was — For  it,  115  ;  against  it,  106  ;  absent,  6.  For 
it  from  slave  states,  1 ;  against  it  from  free  states,  18. 

F 


62  THE  MISSOURI  COMPROMISE. 

brethren  of  the  south  ;•  and  it  is  not  for  the  descendants  of  cither  party,  in  the  present  ge 
neration,  to  cancel  this  solemn  compact.  The  abolitionists,  by  their  efforts  to  annul  it, 
have  arrested  the  natural  progress  of  emancipation,  and  done  great  injury  to  the  slaves 
themselves. 

After  Louisiana  was  acquired  from  France  by  Mr.  Jefferson,  and  when  the  state  of  Mis 
souri,  which  constituted  a  part  of  it,  was  about  to  be  admitted  into  the  Union,  the  Missouri 
question  arose,  and  in  its  progress  threatened  the  dissolution  of  the  Union.  This  was  set 
tled  by  the  men  of  the  last  generation,  as  other  important  and  dangerous  questions  have 
been  settled,  in  a  spirit  of  mutual  concession.  Under  the  Missouri  Compromise,  slavery 
was  "  for  ever  prohibited"  north  of  36°  30';  and  south  of  this  parallel  the  question  was 
left  to  be  decided  by  the  people.  Congress,  in  the  admission  of  Texas,  following  in  the 
footsteps  of  their  predecessors,  adopted  the  same  rule ;  and  in  my  opinion,  the  harmony  of 
states,  and  even  the  security  of  the  Union  itself,  require  that  the  line  of  the  Missouri 
Compromise  should  be  extended  to  any  new  territory  which  we  may  acquire  from  Mexico. 

I  should  entertain  the  same  opinion,  even  if  it  were  certain  this  would  become  a  serious 
practical  question  ;  but  that  it  never  can  be  thus  considered,  must  be  evident  to  all  who 
have  attentively  examined  the  subject.  , 

Neither  the  soil,  the  climate,  nor  the  productions  of  that  portion  of  California  south  of 
36°  30',  nor  indeed  of  any  portion  of  it,  north  or  south,  is  adapted  to  slave  labour ;  and, 
besides,  every  facility  would  be  there  afforded  to  the  slave  to  escape  from  his  master.  Such 
property  would  be  utterly  insecure  in  any  part  of  California.  It  is  morally  impossible, 
therefore,  that  a  majority  of  the  emigrants  to  that  portion  of  the  territory  south  of  36°  3(X, 
which  will  be  chiefly  composed  of  our  fellow-citizens  from  the  Eastern,  Middle,  and  Western 
states,  will  ever  re-establish  slavery  within  its  limits.  In  regard  to  New  Mexico,  east  of  the 
Rio  Grande,  the  question  has  been  already  settled  by  the  admission  of  Texas  into  the 
Union. 

Should  we  acquire  territory  beyond  the  Rio  Grande,  and  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
it  is  still  more  improbable  that  a  majority  of  the  people  of  that  region  would  consent  to  re 
establish  slavery.  They  are,  themselves,  in  a  large  proportion,  a  coloured  population  ;  and 
among  them,  the  negro  does  not  socially  belong  to  a  degraded  race. 

The  question  is,  therefore,  not  one  of  practical  importance  !  Its  agitation,  however  ho 
nestly  intended,  can  produce  no  effect  but  to  alienate  the  people  of  different  portions  of  the 
Union  from  each  other ;  to  excite  sectional  divisions  and  jealousies  ;  and  to  distract  and  pos 
sibly  destroy  the  democratic  party,  on  the  ascendency  of  whose  principles  and  measures 
depends,  as  I  firmly  believe,  the  success  of  our  grand  experiment  of  self-government. 

Such  have  been  my  individual  opinions,  openly  and  freely  expressed,  ever  since  the  com 
mencement  of  the  present  unfortunate  agitation ;  and  of  all  places  in  the  world,  I  prefer 
to  put  them  on  record  before  the  incorruptible  democracy  of  Old  Berks.  I,  therefore,  beg 
leave  to  offer  you  the  following  sentiment: — 

The  Missouri  Compromise  : — Its  adoption  in  1820  saved  the  Union  from  threatened  con 
vulsion.  Its  extension  in  184.8  to  any  new  territory  which  we  may  acquire,  will  secure 
the  like  happy  result.  Yours,  very  respectfully, 

JAMES  BUCHANAN. 

(2.)  THE  MISSOURI  COMPROMISE. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  section  of  the  act  of  Congress,  (passed  in  1820,)  for  the 
admission  of  the  state  of  Missouri  to  the  Union,  which  is  now  denominated  the  "  Missouri 
Compromise :" 

SEC.  8.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That  in  all  that  territory  ceded  by  France  to  the  United 
States,  under  the  name  of  Louisiana,  which  lies  north  of  thirty-six  degrees,  and  thirty 
minutes  north  latitude,  not  included  within  the  limits  of  the  state  contemplated  by  this  act, 
slavery  and  involuntary  servitude,  otherwise  than  in  the  punishment  of  crimes,  whereof 
the  parties  shall  have  been  duly  convicted,  shall  be,  and  is  hereby,  for  ever  prohibited  : 
Provided  always,  That  any  person  escaping  into  the  same,  from  whom  labour  or  service  is 
lawfully  claimed,  in  any  state  or  territory  of  the  United  States,  such  fugitive  may  be  law 
fully  reclaimed  and  conveyed  to  the  person  claiming  his  or  her  labour  or  service,  as  afore 
said. 

(3.)  THE  VOLUNTEERS. 

By  virtue  of  the  provisions  of  the  Act  of  Congress,  approved  May  13,  1846,  declanng 
the  existence  of  the  war  with  the  Republic  of  Mexico,  the  President  of  the  United  States, 


THE  VOLUNTEERS.  63 

immediately  after  the  passage  of  the  said  Act  of  Congress,  made  a  call  upon  the  governors 
of  the  several  states  for  the  organization  of  quotas  of  volunteers  for  service  in  the  war  with 
Mexico,  according  to  the  ratio  of  population.  But,  after  the  organization  of  their  respective 
quotas  in  the  Middle  and  Eastern  states,  (at  the  private  expenses  of  the  citizens  tendering 
their  services  as  volunteers,)  in  pursuance  of  the  call  made  by  the  government  at  Washing 
ton,  the  volunteers  from  those  states  were  rejected,  while  more  than  the  quotas  from  the 
Western  and  slave  states  were  received.  Only  two  regiments  of  volunteers,  amounting  to 
about  1500  men,  have  been  accepted  from  New  York  and  the  six  New  England  States,  which 
together  embrace  a  population  of  4,653,790 ;  while  the  two  states  of  Kentucky  and  Ten 
nessee,  with  a  United  free  population  of  only  1,243,721,  have  been  permitted  to  have  ten 
regiments  of  volunteers  in  Service,  amounting  to  about  10,000  men.  The  last  division  of 
volunteers  called  for  by  the  government  at  Washington  embraced  two  regiments  from 
Tennessee,  two  from  Kentucky,  and  one  from  Indiana  ;  four  regiments  from  slave  states, 
and  one  from  a  Western  State. 

The  first  division  of  volunteers  mustered  into  the  United  States  service  for  the  prosecution 
of  the  war  with  Mexico,  was  composed  of  ten  regiments  and  two  companies  from  Western 
states,  amounting  to  8500  officers  and  men ;  thirteen  regiments,  one  squadron  and  one 
company  from  slave  states,  amounting  to  13,084  officers  and  men;  and  not  a  regiment  nor 
company  from  the  Middle  or  Eastern  states.  The  distribution  of  the  officers  in  the  ten  regi 
ments  of  regulars,  authorized  to  be  raised  by  the  Act  of  Congress,  approved  February 
11,  1847,  were  disposed  of  by  the  President  with  equal  partiality  to  the  slave-holders.  Of 
the  thirty  posts  of  the  field  officers,  sixteen  (more  than  one  half)  were  bestowed  upon 
slave-holders,  three  were  army  promotions,  four  from  Middle  states,  two  from  Eastern 
states,  and  five  from  Western  states,  as  follows;  (slaveholders  in  italics :) 

i  SD  REG'T  DRAGOONS.  IST  REG'T  VOLTIGEURS. 

Edward  G.  W.  Butler,  Col  of  La.  Timothy  P.  Andrews,  Col  of  D.  C. 

Thomas  P.  Moore,  Lt.  Col.  of  Ky.  Joseph  E.  Johnston,  Lt.  Col.  Army. 

William  H.  Polk,  Major,  of  Tenn.  George  d.  Calditell,  Major,  of  Ky. 

COLONELS  or  INFANTRY. 

Trurrian  B.  Ransom,  of  Vt.  John  W.  Tibbatts,  of  Ky. 

Robert  E.  Temple,  of  N.  Y*  Albert  G.  Ramsey,  of  Penn. 

Robert  M>  Echols,  of  Ga.  Louis  D.  Wilson,  of  N.  C. 

William  Trousdale,  of  Tenn.  George  W.  Morgan,  of  Ohio. 

LIEUTENANTS-COLONELS  OF  INFANTRY. 

Millege  L.  Bonham,  of  S.  C.  Henry  L.  Webb,  of  111. 

Jones  M.  Withers,  of  Jlla.  William  M.  Graham,  of  Va. 

John  J.  Fay,  of  N.  Y.  Joshua  Howard,  of  Mich. 

Paul  0,  Herbert,  of  La>  George  H.  Talcott,  Army. 

MAJORS  OF  INFANTRY. 

Thomas  H.  Seymour,  of  Conn.  Ralph  G.  Nofvell,  of  Ind. 

John  C.  Hays,  of  Texas.  Edwin  W.  Morgan,  of  Penn. 

Jeremiah  Clements,  of  Ala.  Frederick  D.  Mills,  of  Iowa. 

John  H.  Savage,  of  Tenn.  Fowler  Hamilton,  Army. 

Has  this  course  of  the  government  at  Washington,  in  the  distribution  of  the  volunteer 
force  employed  against  Mexico,  been  dictated  by  motives  of  economy  1  Certainly  not ; 
because  troops  can  be  conveyed  from  New  York,  or  Boston,  to  Vera  Cruz,  or  Matamoras,  at 
less  expense  to  the  government  than  from  New  Orleans.  Is  it  because  southern  volun 
teers  are  more  brave  than  the  descendants  of  the  heroes  of  Bunker-hill  and  Saratoga,  or 
that  they  can  better  endure  the  fatigues  of  the  march  and  the  severities  of  the  climate  ? 
It  is  not  so  alleged  nor  shown  ;  because  the  rank  and  file  of  the  regular  array  are  almost 
exclusively  made  up  of  recruits  enlisted  in  the  Middle  and  Eastern  states,  and  the  follow 
ing,  from  a  newspaper,  may  be  evidence  in  point: 

"  A  Tampico  letter,  of  the  17th  of  August,  says  that  the  Louisiana  regiment  in  that 
place,  under  command  of  Colonel  De  Russey,  left  their  homes,  a  few  months  ago,  1000 
strong,  and,  of  this  number,  not  more  than  200  appeared  on  parade  on  the  16th.  The 
diseases  of  the  climate  had  brought  about  this  sad  change  in  the  regiment." 

By  the  adjutant-general's  annual  report,  made  under  date  of  "  November  26,  1 845,"  it  is 
shown  that  the  number  of  recruits  enlisted  for  the  general  service  in  the  year  ending  the 


64  THE  VOLUNTEERS. 

30th  of  September,  1845,  was  1365 ;  and  that  of  these  628  were  enlisted  in  the  state  of 
New  York,  258  in  Pennsylvania,  150  in  Massachusetts,  four  in  Rhode  Island,  seventy-four 
in  Maryland,  248  in  Kentucky,  one  in  North  Carolina,  and  two  in  Washington,  D.  C. 
Thus  it  is  shown,  that,  of  the  1365  of  the  rank  and  file  of  the  regular  army  enlisted  during 
the  twelve  months  preceding  September  30,  1845,  there  were  recruited  1190  in  the  East 
ern  and  Middle  states,  and  but  25  in  the  slave  states.  By  the  same  officer's  annual  report, 
made  under  date  of  «  December  5,  1846,"  it  is  shown  that  the  number  of  recruits  enlisted 
for  the  general  service  in  that  year  was  2576;  and  that,  of  this  number,  1786  were  ob 
tained  from  the  Eastern  and  Middle  states,  (New  York  furnishing  1054,  and  Pennsylvania 
351,)  and  790  from  the  Western  states,  and  only  411  from  the  slave  states.  Thus  is  ex 
hibited  the  fact,  that  the  Eastern  and  Middle  states  are  permitted  to  furnish  the  rank  and 
file  of  the  regular  army,  (who  are  supposed  to  come  from  the  uneducated  and  humbler  class 
of  the  people,)  while  the  South  furnishes  the  officers ;  and  that  with  southern  officers  for  the 
regular  army,  the  government  at  Washington  have  added  the  southern  corps  of  volunteers, 
with  their  slave-holding  officers,  (the  rank  and  file  of  the  volunteers  being  deemed  of  a 
better  class  of  people  than  those  of  the  regulars ;)  and  these  are  sent  to  Mexico  to  acquire 
a  knowledge  of,  and  interest  in,  that  country,  and  to  gain  an  eclat  and  a  fame  which  shall 
give  them  a  popularity  with  the  people,  and  an  influence^  in  future  Congresses  to  be  used 
for  the  support  of  the  interest  of  the  slave-holders  of  the  Southern  states  of  this  Union ; 
while  northern  volunteers  are  excluded  from  the  service,  that  the  recruiting  ground  for 
the  regular  army  may  not  be  interfered  with ;  but  more  particularly  that  the  non-slave 
holders  may  not  be  permitted  to  see  and  admire  the  soil  destined  for  slave-labour,  nor  be 
enabled  to  acquire,  in  the  prosecution  of  the  war  with  Mexico,  a  knowledge  of  that  coun 
try,  and  a  fame  and  popularity  which  might  be  used  against  « the  extension  of  the  area  of 

Few  of  the  north,  it  is  feared,  have  ever  properly  considered  the  effect  ofjjjf».monopoly 
of  office  by  the  slave-holders  of  the  south ;  and,  therefore,  it  is  hopeththat  tins  may  arrest 
their  attention.  It  is  not  merely  because  of  the  fact  that  the  government  at  Washington 
has  bestowed  more  than  a  fair  proportion  of  army  offices  upon  the  inhabitants  of  slave 
states,  that  the  freemen  of  the  north  make  their  complaint,  but  for  the  reason  that  the 
military  appointments  bring  civil  ones,  and  the  fame  which  they  acquire  in  the  field  of 
glory,  (from  which  the  inhabitants  of  the  free  states  are  almost  entirely  excluded,  unless 
they  go  as  common  soldiers  to  be  numbered,  not  named,  in  the  bulletin,  and  to  have  their 
bodies  burned  in  stacks,  or  buried  in  pits,)  gains  them  a  political  strength  which  they  use 
to  the  prejudice  of  the  state  rights,  and  rights  of  individuals  of  the  north.  A  plain  citizen, 
however  honest,  and  wise,  and  capable,  but  with  his  name  unassociated  with  deeds  of  arms, 
and  not  adorned  with  victories  gained,  cannot  keep  himself  long  in  place  or  in  favour  with 
his  people ;  but  military  fame  forms  a  shie)  i,  or  defence,  behind  which  a  man  may  retire, 
and,  with  his  wounds  obtained  in  battle,  cover  his  misdeeds,  and  for  them  claim  the  favour 
of  the  people ;  and,  by  long  continuance  in  the  houses  of  the  national  legislature,  members 
acquire  a  strength  and  influence  in  the  councils  of  the  nation  which  nothing  but  frequent 
re-elections  can  give.  All  this  is  too  much  to  be  claimed  for  the  south  by  virtue  of  the 
«  compromise  of  the  Constitution" 

The  appointment  of  General  Washington,  as  commander-in-chief  of  the  armies  of  the 
revolution,  was  a  compromise  with  slavery,  and  by  his  military  command  came  the  office 
of  President ;  and  he  appointing  Jefferson,  Madison,  and  Monroe,  to  office,  and  putting 
them  in  the  way  to  be  kept  continually  before  the  people  of  the  Union  in  some  PJjcfcof 
the  federal  government,  secured  to  them,  in  turn,  the  office  of  President ;  and,  t^tfout 
their  military  fame,  neither  Jackson,  nor  Harrison  had  ever  found  himself  chief  magistrate 
of  this  Union  ;  and  it  has  not  been  because  the  slave  states  produce  .tetter  or  moVe  able 
men  than  the  free  states  of  the  Union,  that  the  slave  dominion  hasJge*M*nitted  to  furnish 
eight  of  the  eleven  Presidents,  and  to  have  the  presidential  office^fil^Bytheir  citi/ens /brty: 
eight  years  out  of  fifty-six,  but  by  the  general  monopoly  of  office,  both  civil  and  JU 
The  acquisition  and  annexation  of  the  Californias  and  New  Mexico  will  but  ^B  tj|j 
wrongs  complained  of,  and  nourish  the  institution  of  slavery,  and  encourage  « 
gration  to  an  extent  which  has  never  yet  been  apprehended.  *  These  evils,  hT^HP^X 
all  be  abated  by  taking  NO  MEXICAN  TERRITORY,  which  ought  to  be  the  policy  of 
the  federal  government. 


